CHANGES to trade waste arrangements in the Southern Downs are being outlined in a proposed new Trade Waste Management Plan, released in the past week for public consultation.
Following adoption last year of a Trade Waste Management policy, Southern Downs Regional Council has prepared a draft Trade Waste Management Plan which seeks to manage trade waste at the point of generation, encourage the minimisation of trade waste, and protect wastewater infrastructure.
The council’s engineering services director Peter See said the draft plan outlined arrangements for Trade Waste Management practices in the Southern Downs region.
“All commercial, manufacturing or industrial business produces liquid wastes referred to as trade waste.
“Trade waste presents the potential to cause harm to people, the environment (air, land, water) and infrastructure and, as a result, disposal of trade waste must be regulated.
“Under the proposed plan, any commercial, manufacturing or industrial business that needs to discharge trade waste to the council’s wastewater infrastructure system would be required to seek approval from the council.
“The proposed plan gives those generating trade waste, control of how to mitigate their discharge. It’s based on the user/generator pays principle, uses prioritised targeting based on risk classification and offers a simplified process to make it easy to understand and implement.
“The overall aim of the plan is to encourage better social, environmental and economic outcomes, and the council is keen to collaborate with those businesses most likely to be impacted by the proposed changes through education, partnership and advice,” he said.
The Trade Waste Management Plan and associated documents has been on public exhibition for a period of three weeks, from Wednesday 3 February, at council community contact centres and the council’s website www.sdrc.qld.gov.au
An online survey will also be available on the council’s website, for the same period, for community comment and feedback.
Following the consultation period, workshops will be held to assist with any inquiries and to address the comments compiled from the on-line survey.
* Warwick – Wednesday 2 March, from 5pm, at the Warwick Town Hall.
* Stanthorpe – Thursday 3 March, from 5pm, at Stanthorpe Old Council Chambers.
For further information, or to register to attend a workshop, please contact the council’s water and wastewater technical officer Jill Yeaman on 1300 MY SDRC (1300 697 372) or email jill.yeaman@sdrc.qld.gov.au
