Businesses could contribute as much as ten per cent to the UK’s greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2020 with little or no outlay, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said today.

They could save more than £6.4bn a year by taking simple money saving steps, Mr Benn told the annual conference of recycling body WRAP.

He launched a new Government campaign, ‘Saving money – it’s your business’ which illustrates how simple environmental steps can produce cost savings and provides advice on achieving business success in a low carbon economy.

According to WRAP, 47 per cent of businesses said they could save more than £100,000 through low and no cost efficiency measures, with 17 per cent identifying over £1m of potential savings.

Such measures could contribute as much as ten per cent to the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for 2020 with little or no outlay.