Trade Waste
What is Trade Waste?
Trade waste is the water-borne waste from business, trade or manufacturing premises, other than waste that is a prohibited substance, human waste or stormwater. Trade waste may have an organic strength many times that of domestic sewage and can contain other substances which our sewerage infrastructure is not designed to treat.
Examples of trade waste include discharges from food premises, mechanical workshops, service stations, medical centers and hairdressers.
Council has developed a Trade Waste Procedure which applies to the management of trade waste in Council's local government area.
What is a Trade Waste Approval?
An Approval gives your business permission to discharge trade waste to Council’s sewerage infrastructure. This enables Council to monitor and assess the resulting effects on the sewerage infrastructure for the protection of the system, treatment process and the environment.
A Trade Waste Approval is issued under s 180 of the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 by Council and provides conditions under which discharge of trade waste to the sewerage infrastructure is allowed.
Livingstone Shire Council has a responsibility to manage trade waste under the Water Supply (Safety & Reliability) Act 2008 and the Trade Waste Plan. Under the Act, a person must not discharge trade waste to the sewerage infrastructure without a Trade Waste Approval issued by Livingstone Shire Council.
Apply for a Trade Waste Approval using Council's Online Services (You must be a registered user to lodge)
When to apply
Examples of appropriate times to lodge an application for buildings intended for industrial and/or commercial usage may include:
- During the building application process for new premises, extensions or shop fit-outs;
- Change in tenancy or ownership;
- Existing premises where trade waste is generated and no trade waste approval has been issued; or
- Where a change in process technology occurs.
Your Trade Waste Approval
When a Trade Waste Approval is issued, the Approval Holder is authorised by Council to discharge trade waste into Council’s sewerage infrastructure, subject to the conditions of the approval.
Approval Categories
There are three categories of Trade Waste Approvals. The category is determined in accordance with the below table and Council’s Trade Waste Plan.
| Category | BOD5 & TSS | COD | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - Low Strength / Low Volume | <300 mg/L | <600 mg/L | <250 kl/annum (0.69/day) |
| 2 - Low Strength / High Volume | <300 mg/L | <600 mg/L | >250 kl/annum (0.69/day) |
| 3 - High Strength / Any Volume | >300 mg/L | >600 mg/L | Any Volume |
Fees and Charges
Trade Waste Notices are levied half yearly and generally issue in January and July of each year. The fees applicable to the approval will depend on the approval category.
Annual Fee
Annual Fees are levied for the subsequent half yearly billing period. An Annual Fee (pro-rata) may also be levied for the preceding half yearly period where the Approval was issued during the previous billing period.
Volumetric Charge
Volumetric Charges may apply to Category 2 and Category 3 Approvals. This is based on the quantity of trade waste discharged during the preceding half yearly period.
Pollutant Charges for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) and Suspended Solids
BOD5 Charges and Suspended Solids Charges may apply to Category 3 Approvals. This is based on the quality of trade waste discharged during the preceding half yearly period.
Trade Waste Pre-treatment Devices
A trade waste pre-treatment device may be required as a condition of approval, in accordance with Council’s Trade Waste Plan.
The installation of most trade waste pre-treatment devices is compliance assessable work in accordance with the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2002 and requires a plumbing/drainage approval.
The type and size of the pre-treatment device must be in accordance with the criteria shown in the Trade Waste Plan. Where the Plan does not specify a type and/or minimum pre-treatment device for a particular trade waste process then this will need to be determined by an appropriately qualified person (e.g. hydraulic engineer or the like).
Monitoring and Inspections
For the purpose of monitoring the conditions of the Trade Waste Approval, Council may routinely or randomly inspect all premises occupied by the subject of a Trade Waste Approval. These may include, but are not limited to, inspection of:
- Maintenance, sampling and discharge data records (if relevant);
- Trade waste connections to stormwater or sewerage infrastructure to ensure there are no illegal discharges or potential for improper discharge or overflow to these systems or waterways;
- Pre-treatment facilities to ensure they are regularly and properly serviced; and
- Work practices to ensure the Approval Holder is not in breach of their Trade Waste Approval.
Non-compliance can lead to suspension or cancellation of the Trade Waste Approval and may result in additional charges. For more information refer to the Trade Waste Plan.
Change of Approval Details
Requests for an amendment of the Trade Waste Approval must be lodged by the Approval Holder either in writing or via Council’s Online Services. If the business has sold or closed please contact Council to arrange cancellation of the Trade Waste Approval.