Discharging Trade Effluent – What You Need to Know
This article, prepared by the industrial wastewater specialists at Water Treatment Services focuses on the processing of industrial wastewater, and in particular how trade effluent is discharged.
The article explains what trade effluent is and what businesses must do as part of the discharge process. It looks at obligations when discharging to ground water, surface water and sewers, and concludes by highlighting a number of practical steps businesses can take to reduce their total effluent volumes, and so improve environmental performance and reduce costs.
What is trade effluent?
Treating trade effluent can be expensive and pose challenges, whatever the size of your business and whatever sector you are operating in. The wastewater disposal market is not immune to the rising costs affecting all areas of the economy either, and companies which are discharging large volumes of very contaminated water are feeling the price rises the most.
Trade effluent, which is also known as wastewater, is defined as any liquid waste which is produced by a commercial premises, or by industry. The definition covers waste produced by, for example, a manufacturing operation, or a food factory.
Companies are legally responsible for their own waste, and there are laws and regulations which they all must stick to. If you’re confused or uncertain about your obligations and responsibilities around the discharge of trade effluent, then here is a guide to what you must know and which actions you should take.
What are your obligations regarding the discharge of trade effluent?
Wastewater and trade effluent can be discharged into the mains network of sewers or in other situations, into groundwater or surface water, such as a river or lake. The rules which apply to your effluent discharge will depend on where the waste is going after it leaves your business premises.
Can wastewater be discharged to groundwater or surface water?
Any company which discharges waste to groundwater or surface water must have a licence to do this in advance from the environmental regulator which regulates water in the part of the country where you are operating. In England this is the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales for Welsh businesses, and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) north of the border.
If you don’t get approval from the relevant regulatory body and discharge anyway, then you potentially face prosecution. The law defines “surface water” as rivers, lakes, canals, reservoirs and similar bodies of water. Groundwater is the water held under ground, below the level of the water table. Groundwater is the largest volume of fresh water when compared with other sources.
If gases, solids or liquids are allowed to get into groundwater or surface water, there is the potential that they could cause pollution. Some of the most commonly found pollutants are chemicals, oil or other waste products. Even something as seemingly harmless as milk can cause serious harm when discharged into surface or groundwater.
Can wastewater be discharged into sewers?
In the UK water and sewerage companies manage the control of trade effluent which is discharged into the sewer network with the same aims of protecting not only the sewer system itself, but the environment and population too. Any business which needs to discharge effluent including oils, grease, fat, metals, or detergent into the sewer system needs to get either consent from the water and sewerage company, or sign a trade effluent agreement with them before discharging. Any written agreement will clearly state the type of effluent you are permitted to discharge, and put limits on the strength and volume of the effluent you are permitted to discharge. It will also calculate your monthly or quarterly bill based on the volumes you have stated.
If your trade effluent is classed as particularly harmful, which may be termed “special category” effluent by the Environment Agency, then you may need to seek additional permissions. Discharging effluent into the sewer system without permission, or without any conversation with the Environment Agency is an offence, and the authorities do not hesitate to prosecute companies found breaking the laws. Punishment typically involved hefty fines, but could also mean prison in some cases.
There are also many rules and regulations around what you do with any discarded material from your plant used to treat effluent water, such as sludge. Your business is legally responsible for any waste like this until it is finally either recycled or disposed of. This includes all storage and transportation stages of the process, even if you are using a third-party contractor.
Can you dispose of wastewater sludge on land?
If either your company or a contractor operating on your behalf take sludge from your effluent treatment centre and spread it onto land, then you will probably need a licence to do so from your local environmental regulator. There are exemptions available in some cases, but the key requirement is that you discuss your plans with the environment regulator before you start discharging any waste.
The requirement to make sure that your activities will not pose any risk to soil, animals, plants or human health apply whether you need to have a permit or not. There are also requirements around keeping noise and odours to a minimum, and you should be able to show that your activities will not affect the countryside environment or any places of interest.
Things you can do to reduce trade effluent discharge volumes
The best starting point for making sure you are doing all that you possibly can when it comes to waste management is to take advice from your local environmental regulator, or the water company which provides your sewerage services. There are however a number of techniques which companies can use to minimise trade effluent discharge volumes.
Process control
Having good management processes in place to help minimise the strength of effluent to be discharged can save money and reduce levels of effluent. Many companies find that installing an offline tank for holding effluent in the case of emergencies, and keeping on top of flow load and balancing can reduce shock loads moving through the waste treatment plants.
Reduce use of cleaning chemicals
Being careful about trying to minimise the number and volume of chemicals you use for cleaning as this can also reduce your impact on the environment.
Check your drains
Make sure your drains are covered so that waste is trapped on the surface, rather than being washed into the drains. Similarly, train staff not to hose spillages into a drain, but to use a vacuum cleaner or brush instead.
Reduce effluent volumes
The way in which charges for discharging trade effluent into the system are calculated using what is known as the “Mogden Formula”. In general terms, this means that the more waste water you discharge, the higher your costs. Think about ways in which you can cut the use of water in the first place, or ways which might let you recycle some of the water which would otherwise become effluent.
Maximise storage space
Having sufficient storage for the volume of sludge your company produces should also help you minimise the amount of sludge you then have to spread on land.
Environmental regulations are becoming stricter
Environmental regulations imposed on companies operating in the food processing and manufacturing industries are getting ever stricter, and the main focus of these regulations is often the management of trade effluent discharge. As we’ve outlined above, your company is responsible for all effluent discharged from commercial and industrial premises, and you need to seek consent from the right regulatory body before you start doing so. Get it wrong, and you might be subject to fines or ever a prison term.
Expert industrial wastewater treatment solutions
Water Treatment Services offer a comprehensive range of innovative water and wastewater management solutions for business. Our experts can provide advice and support to help you identify the most appropriate strategies for the identification, investigation and implementation of environmentally sensitive testing, monitoring and treatment solutions for industrial wastewaters and trade effluents.
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained engineers and wastewater treatment specialists we offer cost effective environmental support solutions across the whole of the UK and internationally.
Contact us today to learn how our wastewater solutions can help you reduce costs and improve environmental performance.
