Classifications of liquid trade waste

Businesses that generate and discharge liquid trade waste require Council approval. This process varies based on the classification type, which is determined by the risk and volume of liquid trade waste proposed for discharge.

Liquid trade waste falls into one of the following four classifications, A, B, C and S.

These classifications are discussed in more detail below.

Classification A involves low risk liquid trade waste discharges where:

  • It is of a low volume and/or low strength; 
  • No pre-treatment is required, or there are prescribed standard non-complex pre-treatment devices available to treat the waste to a satisfactory level
  • There isn’t more than two pre-treatment devices needed to treat a single waste stream
  • Discharge poses a low risk to the sewerage system, the environment and public and/or worker health and safety
  • Standard conditions may be used for the approval  
  • Trade waste volume is less than 5 kL per day or 1000 kL per annum, except in the case of commercial retail food preparation activities where up to 16 kL per day is allowed.

Classification B involves medium risk liquid trade waste discharges, defined as:

  • A range of commercial retail activities   
  • Community and/or public premises 
  • Education facilities
  • Hospitals
  • A Classification A activity which exceeds permissible flow limits provided that the;
       › Discharge volume does not exceed 20 kL per day
       › Acceptance limits in Table 1 of our Liquid Trade Waste Policy (link) are met; and
       › Excluded substances as detailed in Table 2 of our Liquid Trade Waste Policy are not present in the waste.

Classification C comprises of high risk and large volumes of liquid trade waste discharges where concurrence must be sought by Council from the Director-General of the New South Wales Office of Water (NOW). Concurrence may take up to 40 days. 

Classification C comprises of any activity which is in Classification A, Classification B or Classification S that exceeds a discharge volume of 20 kL per day and any activity not nominated in other Classifications.

Classification S comprises of pan contents, septic tank pump-outs, private pumping stations, chemical toilet waste and ship-to-shore pump-outs accepted into the sewerage system.

Classification S also includes private pumping stations for properties that can’t access Council's sewer mains. An application is required and approval may be granted by Council for the installation of a private pumping station that will be owned and operated by the property owner.

Mixed Classifications

Where a liquid trade waste discharge includes waste in more than one classification, the highest classification applies. For example, if three liquid trade waste streams are being generated and two fall within Classification A and the third falls within Classification B the application is considered as Classification B.

To find out what classification your business is take a look at the listing of doc format Activities that produce liquid trade waste (215.50 KB). For further assistance contact our Trade Waste section on (02) 4350 5515.