Trade waste is any wastewater discharged from commercial, industrial, laboratory or trade activities. Because of the varied nature of what is discharged – from chemicals to grease and fats – it’s important that trade waste is managed appropriately, as waste may be harmful to the sewer network, people who maintain and manage the sewer, and the environment. Poorly managed trade waste can also impact the availability of recycled water and biosolids for reuse.

Managing trade waste will help to prevent:

• sewage spills to the environment
• sewer blockages
• health hazards to sewer workers
• damage to sewerage infrastructure and disruption of sewage treatment processes
• impacts to the environment