Trade waste

Trade waste is any liquid, and any substances contained in it, produced by an industrial or commercial activity at a business premises. It may include any waste that is transported from the point of generation.

Only liquid waste that conforms to council's set limits will be accepted for discharge to sewer.

These limits are imposed because waste from many businesses and industries may contain materials that are potentially harmful to sewerage workers, the sewerage system and the environment.

Trade waste must not be discharged into council’s sewer, unless the owner of the premises from which trade waste is discharged has been granted a trade waste approval.

Permit

To obtain an approval to discharge trade waste to sewer, the owner or authorised agent must submit the following criteria:

• A completed application to discharge trade waste to sewer (PDF 104.2 KB) form signed by the owner/authorised agent and the generator
• Adopted trade waste application fee
• As constructed hydraulic plumbing and drainage plans
• Material Safety Data Sheets for all chemicals and raw products used and stored on the premises
• Any other relevant information

Owners and authorised agents should also refer to the Trade Waste Management Plan (PDF 195.7 KB) and Trade Waste Policy (PDF 31.1KB) for further information.

Inspection Program

Mackay Regional Council is currently performing trade waste inspections on all businesses operating within the CBD and Sarina district.  For more information on the inspection program contact council on 1300 MACKAY (622 529).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Council going to inspect every business?
A. Yes.  A trade waste site assessment will be conducted on every business.  If it is determined during the site assessment that trade waste is not discharged to sewer from that business, trade waste approval will not be required and no trade waste fee is applicable.  A non-generator letter will also be sent to that business. 

Q. Does every business have a trade waste charge?
A. No. Only businesses that discharge trade waste to sewer will be affected by trade waste fees and charges. Although, all commercial properties do have the potential to be charged a Volumetric Fee for an excess load on the sewer system.

Q. Do I need a permit (a trade waste approval) for my business?
A. If your business discharges any waste to Council’s sewer that is not specifically domestic waste then there is a chance you are discharging trade waste to sewer and may require a permit.

Q. When should I apply for an approval?
A. If you are commencing operation of a new business or operating an existing business that has undergone any change to the following:
- property owner or trade waste generator (i.e. business owner, lessee, etc.)
- operating practices/processes
- method of trade waste disposal
then you need to make an application to Council for approval to discharge trade waste to sewer.

Q. How long does a trade waste approval last?
A. A trade waste approval lasts as long as the property owner and business owner and practices remain the same.  The approval is renewable every 12 months.

Q. What is the cost to businesses?
A. All businesses applying for an approval to discharge trade waste to sewer must pay an application fee.  Annual approval fees vary depending on the type of business and the strength of the trade waste discharged to sewer.  A trade waste volumetric charge per kilolitre may also apply.  Refer to fees and charges for more details.

Q. What is involved in the site fee?
A. A site visit fee is one of the charges which may apply to a trade waste generator and may be charged if additional site visits, not covered by the application fee, are required to ensure continued trade waste compliance.  Site fees are not applicable to most businesses.

Q. What happens when a business changes (i.e. business closes and new business moves in, or same business with a change of owner)?
A. Approval to discharge trade waste to sewer is not transferable.  A new Application for approval to discharge trade waste to sewer is required.
Even if it is only the business owner that changes, not the operations, a new application is required as operating procedures and practices may change causing a possible change to discharge strengths.
Business owners should contact Council if their business operation ceases. 

Q. Does Council communicate to both the business and property owners?
A. Yes. All written correspondence is sent to the property owner and a copy forwarded to the business discharging trade waste to sewer.

Q. How is the property owner involved in the process?
A. The Application for Approval to Discharge Trade Waste to sewer must be completed and signed by both the property owner and the business owner. The property owner is responsible for all trade waste that is discharged to sewer from his/her property.

Q. How do the costs get broken up between the landlord and the business owner?
A. Council does not become involved in the individual lease agreements between the property owner and the business owner. Council will forward trade waste bills to the property owner.

Q. Is there a fine if businesses continue to discharge without trade waste approval?
A. It is an offence to discharge trade waste to sewer without approval. Each individual business discharging trade waste to sewer will be provided the opportunity to apply for approval. If a business does not apply for approval and continues to discharge trade waste to sewer, Council may withdraw access to discharge trade waste to sewer from that property.  Council also has at its discretion the power to issue fines for continued non-compliance.

Q. What type of business requires a grease arrestor?
A. All new businesses that require a food licence must discharge their wastewater through an appropriately sized grease arrestor.

Q. We are in a block of shops and have never received a water bill, what happens in this situation?
A. A business that discharges trade waste to sewer must install a trade waste flow measurement device as per the Trade Waste Management Plan.  This flow measurement device will accurately measure all trade waste discharged to sewer. Meters are read twice a year and the business owners will receive a bill for the amount discharged.

Q. Is Council going to target domestic users and ban garbage disposals?
A. No.  Trade waste is waterborne waste discharged to sewer from business, trade or manufacturing and does not include households.  The Wastewater Treatment Plant is designed to cater for domestic sewage, although households should still be aware of what should not enter the sewerage system. 
Trade waste may have an organic strength many times that of domestic sewage and may overload the Wastewater Treatment Plant.  Trade waste may contain substances that:
• pose a risk of serious injury to sewerage workers, or
• damage the infrastructure of the Sewerage System, or
• pass through the treatment plant untreated resulting in environmental contamination.
The aim of regulation of trade waste from business is to improve the quality of trade waste discharged to sewer.  Discharging a garbage disposal unit through a grease arrestor is prohibited. 

Q. When will my business be inspected?
A. Council is currently inspecting all CBD businesses.  An invitation to attend an information session will be sent to all relevant businesses prior to the onsite inspections.

Download a printable version of the Trade Waste Fact Sheet for further information.