Business customers » Trade waste

Trade waste

We support businesses to avoid, reduce, recycle and treat trade waste. We set and enforce standards to protect the environment and public health.

Liquid waste from commercial or industrial customers, large and small, is referred to as trade waste.

What is trade waste?

Trade waste is wastewater from commercial businesses and industry. It is sometimes referred to as industrial wastewater, industrial sewage or industrial effluent.

Trade waste customers range from small businesses such as fish and chip shops, through to complex large-scale manufacturing industries and more.

Trade waste agreements

All businesses that discharge trade waste are required to enter into a trade waste agreement with Barwon Water.

These agreements specify what can and cannot be discharged into the sewerage system, and any pre-treatment required.

There are currently more than 1450 individual trade waste agreements in place.

Discharges are monitored and inspected to ensure compliance.

Management

Under our Trade Waste by-law and management policy we:

seek, administer and enforce agreements with trade waste producers
keep a register of trade waste customers and the type of waste discharged to the sewerage system
inspect and test discharges to ensure they meet standards
use a quality and quantity charging system to recover the cost of transporting and treating trade waste.

We support the Victorian Government's Industrial Waste Strategy and Industrial Waste Management Policy.

Trade Waste Management Policy (PDF 451 KB)