Closed businesses don’t need to service grease traps

17 April 2020

COVID-19 affected businesses get relief on servicing requirements

To help businesses closed down or not operating due to the COVID-19 crisis, Council is waiving their grease trap servicing requirements.

For those business still operating but at a reduced capacity, Council is offering to relax the frequency they need to have their grease traps serviced.

All businesses in the Tweed that discharge liquid trade waste to the sewer system must have a Liquid Trade Waste Agreement with Council. These businesses include food service businesses; commercial, manufacturing, trade and industrial premises; and commercial refrigeration, air conditioning and boiler operations.

Liquid Trade Wastes are liquid wastes that are discharged to the sewer that are not of a domestic nature. This can include liquid waste from commercial and industrial premises as well as from commercial activities carried out on residential premises. It also includes community and public premises (like education facilities, hospitals and clubs), trade activities (such as mobile cleaning services), saleyards, racecourse, stables and kennels.

Liquid trade waste must be controlled to protect the public health, safety of council employees, sewerage system and ultimately, our environment.

To apply for a waiver of servicing, businesses need to advise Council they have ceased or suspended operations and then contact their waste management company to suspend their grease trap servicing.

To stop a disused grease trap smelling, blocking or rusting, it should be pumped out and then partly filled with water.

To apply for a relaxation in servicing frequency, businesses need to write or email Council and provide evidence of their reduced trading capacity. Council may then check their water meter to confirm the claimed reduction.

Once businesses return to full capacity trading, the required frequency of servicing grease traps will be restored.

For more information on reducing the frequency of servicing a grease trap, please contact Council’s Liquid Trade Waste Officers by calling (02) 6670 2640.

Downloads

Photo 1(JPG, 882KB)

Caption: COVID-19-affected businesses are able to get relief on servicing requirements for grease traps.

Photo 2(JPG, 769KB)

Caption: Liquid trade waste must be controlled to protect the public health, safety of council employees, sewerage system and ultimately, our environment.