Liquid trade waste is defined in the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 as: all liquid waste other than sewage of a domestic nature.
Liquid trade waste discharges to the sewerage system include liquid wastes from:
- business/commercial premises for example beautician, florist, hairdresser, hotel, motel, restaurant, butcher, service station, supermarket, dentist
- community/public premises for example craft club, school, college, university, hospital and nursing home
- industrial premises
- trade activities for example mobile carpet cleaner
- any commercial activities carried out at a residential premises
- saleyards, racecourses and from stables and kennels that are not associated with domestic households
- septic tank waste, chemical toilet waste, waste from marine pump-out facilities and established sites for the discharge of pan content from mobile homes/caravans to the sewerage system
Liquid trade waste excludes:
- toilet, hand wash basin*, shower and bath wastes derived from all the premises and activities mentioned above
- wastewater from residential toilets, kitchens, bathrooms or laundries ie. (domestic sewage)
- common use (non-residential) kitchen and laundry facilities in a caravan park
- residential swimming pool backwash
| Category | |
|---|---|
| 1 | dischargers requiring minimal pre-treatment, or prescribed pre-treatment with low impact on the sewerage system |
| 2 | dischargers with prescribed pre-treatment1 |
| 2S | septic tank, pan and ship-to-shore waste |
| 3 | large (>20kL/d) and industrial dischargers |
Four classifications of liquid trade waste have been established for approval purposes: Concurrence Classifications A, B, C and S. These classifications are based on the level of risk, ie. low risk, medium risk and high risk liquid trade waste (A, B and C respectively) and septic tank and pan waste.
- Concurrence Classification A liquid trade waste has 'automatic assumed concurrence'. This means that for waste in this classification the LWU has been authorised to assume concurrence.
- Concurrence Classification B liquid trade waste has 'assumed concurrence available'. For waste in this classification, the LWU may apply to the Department for authorisation to assume concurrence. The Department will grant assumed concurrence in response to such applications if the LWU satisfies the requirements in section 5.1.1 on page 87.
- Concurrence Classification C liquid trade waste requires 'mandatory concurrence', meaning that for waste in this classification the LWU will need to obtain concurrence from DWE for each application.
- Concurrence Classification S for acceptance of septic tank and pan waste. For waste in this classification the LWU may apply to the Department for authorisation to assume concurrence. The Department will grant assumed concurrence in response to such applications if the LWU satisfies the requirements on page 97 of section 7.1. DWE concurrence is required for each application where the waste is not nominated in the Notice of Assumed Concurrence or the LWU has not been granted such notice.
