Most of us would rather not think about the messy business of what happens to all the waste produced by our industrialized nations, we may see it as an unfortunate but necessary price that we pay for the modern world. But it is important to consider how this waste can be managed effectively and what our obligations are to ensuring this waste doesn’t get out of control.
There are some simple strategies that small business can adopt to help manage waste easily and cost-effectively. But if you run a larger business and operate in a city, then it is a good idea to consult with commercial plumbing companies in Melbourne who are industry professionals.
Waste management doesn’t have to be dirty work, read on for some handy tips on identifying and dealing with your discharge obligations.
What is trade waste?
Trade or commercial waste is any liquid waste generated by a business, industry, trade or manufacturing process that is still suitable for discharge into a city sewer. This could be the water used to clean a grill in a kitchen, excess liquid on a construction site or the waste generated by a manufacturing plant. If you aren’t sure if you are producing trade waste or not, see your local council website for further information.
What are my obligations?
Most local governments will have some kind of regulation indicating that a business must have a trade waste agreement in place before they are permitted to discharge anything into the sewers. This agreement is a contract that will stipulate the terms by which you are required to manage waste, these will be different for every industry and will depend on a number of details, such as how potentially dangerous the waste is and what quantity you are producing. This agreement will also outline what kind of onsite treatment system you will be responsible for installing and managing.
Managing waste.
There are a number of ways to control your business effluence and it obviously depends on the kind of operation you are running. If you are own a café or restaurant then the biggest things you need to worry about are cooking oil waste and having an appropriately sized grease trap in place, which is usually determined by the number of seats in your venue. If you are running a manufacturing business or working in some kind of construction, then you will need a much more detailed plan and will have to consult with a professional plumbing service.
What about cost?
The economics of your waste management system is always going to depend on size and the potential risk of the waste you are creating. In a small company where you might be able to implement the measures yourself, all you will have to pay is a small one-off fee to the council for the initial agreement and then a regular charge for the waste management. Bigger businesses will likely have to pay for specialist implementation systems to deal with a larger volume. But these measures are always going to be a lot cheaper than a costly shutdown or heavy fines imposed for non-compliance with waste management policies.
It’s easy to overlook the importance of effectively managing your trade and commercial waste obligations, especially if your business is new or you don’t quite understand the terminology. That’s ok, it can be confusing at first, but you need to make sure you get on top of your trade waste obligations otherwise you could be struck with a nasty fine. But beyond that, you will be helping to look after our precious environment by ensuring your waste is managed effectively.