Liquid Trade Waste

What is liquid trade waste?

Liquid trade waste means all liquid waste other than domestic sewage. This includes liquid waste from: 

  • In the Industrial premises
  • Businesses and commercial premises such as; beauticians, florists, hairdressers, hotels, motels, restaurants, takeaway stores, butchers, service stations, supermarkets, dentists
  • Community and public premises such as; craft clubs, schools, colleges, education facilities, hospitals and nursing homes, dairies, piggeries and cow sheds
  • Trade activity such as; mobile carpet cleaners and graffiti removalists
  • Saleyards, racecourses, stables and kennels that are not associated with domestic households
  • Any commercial activity carried out at a residential premises
  • Septic tank waste, waste from marine pump-out facilities and established sites for the discharge of pan content from mobile homes, caravans to the sewerage system. 

Council requirements and procedures for liquid trade waste management are outlined in the pdf format Liquid Trade Waste Policy.pdf (229.70 KB). 

If your business discharges liquid waste other than domestic sewage, you must submit a Liquid Trade Waste Application to Council, as required under Section 68 of the Local Government Act.

If you are unsure about the trade waste requirements and how this affects your business please contact Council’s Trade Waste Section. Council is happy to guide you through the application process and provide up to date advice to ensure your business complies with Council’s Trade Waste Policy.

Council’s Liquid Trade Waste Policy outlines penalties which can apply to businesses that do not apply and seek permission to discharge liquid trade waste into Council’s sewerage system.

Council regulates liquid trade waste discharges so waste does not:

  • Cause problems for the sewerage treatment processes
  • Compromise the health and safety of council workers
  • Damage council’s infrastructure and assets
  • Significantly increase maintenance costs
  • Overflow the system
  • Cause significant odour complaints
  • Harm the environment
  • Harm public health and safety
  • Degrade effluent and biosolid quality and management

What are pre-treatment devices?

Pre-treatment devices are defined as equipment used for the pre-treatment of liquid trade waste prior to discharging into Council’s sewerage system.

Depending on the nature of your business and the volume and strength of the liquid trade waste it may be necessary to install a pre-treatment device.

Typical pre-treatment devices used for the treatment of liquid trade waste are outlined, but not limited to the following.

  • Grease arrestor (grease trap)
  • Basket arrestor with fixed screens
  • Fixed or removable mesh screens
  • Coalescing plate interceptor (CPI oil separator)
  • Vertical gravity separator (VGS separator)
  • Hydrocyclone separation system (HSS separator)
  • Cooling pit
  • Balancing, averaging, neutralising pit/tank
  • Solids settlement pit / silt arrestor
  • Plaster arrestor

Council’s trade waste section can offer advice on the most appropriate type of pre-treatment for your business. Please call Council’s trade waste section should you need guidance in this area.

How to apply for Liquid Trade Waste approval

  1. Select the category type and classification from the list of business types.
  2. Complete the correct application form based on the business type selected in step 1

doc format Liquid Trade Waste application form Cat 1 (68.50 KB)

doc format Liquid Trade Waste application form Cat 2 (176.00 KB)
doc format Liquid Trade Waste application form Cat 3 (175.00 KB)

doc format Liquid Trade Waste application form Cat S (68.00 KB)

doc format Liquid Trade Waste application form Change of Trader (88.00 KB)

doc format LTW Application Private Pumping Station.doc (80.50 KB)

  1. The following forms may also be required:
    See  doc format Form C 2 - LIQUID TRADE WASTE APPLICATION FORM (103.50 KB)for a stand alone commercial retail food preparation business.
    Complete  doc format Form C3 - LIQUID TRADE WASTE APPLICATION (58.50 KB)for mechanical repairers
    Obtain  doc format Form C4 - Laboratory Application Attachment Sheet (48.00 KB)for businesses with a laboratory
    See doc format Form C5 - Animal Wash Application Attachment Sheet (49.00 KB) for businesses which involve washing of animals.
    See doc format Form C6 - Septic tank waste, pan waste, ship-to-shore pump-out waste (57.50 KB)for businesses which involve septic tank waste, pan waste, ship-to-shore pump-out waste and chemical toilet waste.
  2. Lodge the Liquid Trade Waste Application with Council along with the relevant application fee as outlined in the doc format Liquid Trade Waste Charges fir 2011-12 (64.00 KB). It is preferred that applications are lodged in person at a Council office, though can be posted with a cheque attached.

Council will advise you in writing of the determination to the application. Category 3 applications must have the consent of the "New South Wales Office of Water" (NOW), so may take more than 40 days to determine.

Contacting our Trade Waste section

Call the Trade Waste section on (02) 4350 5555 or email ltw@wyong.nsw.gov.au for more information on liquid trade waste.