Liquid Waste Fact Sheet—Protecting the environment and your business
Handling liquid waste
If handled inappropriately, liquid wastes can harm the environment and your
business. The following tips will help you ensure that liquid wastes are handled
safely in your workplace.
Identify areas on-site where liquid waste is
handled, such as:
R waste storage areas
R loading and unloading areas
R production lines that generate liquid waste
R wastewater treatment plants
R ‘wet areas’ where equipment or floors are
routinely cleaned.
Inspect areas where liquid waste is handled
and make sure that:
R liquid waste handling areas are clean, tidy
and free of trip hazards
R storage areas are routinely maintained and
free of debris, rainwater and liquid waste
R stormwater drains are not located in areas
where liquid waste is stored or handled
Do not handle or store
liquid waste in areas where
stormwater drains are located.
R all drums, containers and tanks that contain
liquid waste are clearly labelled to identify
their contents, and lids or caps are secure
R spill kits are located in areas where liquid
waste is handled (see Liquid Waste Fact
Sheet—Preventing spills).
Make sure liquid waste does not
enter the stormwater system, by:
R locating all drains at your premises and
knowing where they discharge to
R identifying the drains that are connected to
the stormwater system and ensuring that only
uncontaminated rainwater enters them
R ensuring that drains inside buildings
or covered areas do not discharge to the
stormwater system
R clearly labelling all drains at your premises
and knowing which drains can only accept
uncontaminated stormwater.
Make sure liquid waste handling
areas are clean and tidy.
Improve the handling of liquid waste and
minimise the risk to the environment
R Ensure waste loading and unloading
activities are adequately supervised.
R Train forklift operators in the special care
required for handling drums and other
vessels containing liquid wastes.
R Routinely check production lines and
wastewater treatment plants for leaks and
immediately fix any leaks that are found.
R Minimise the need to decant liquid waste to
and from drums and other vessels that
contain liquid waste, and only do so in
bunded areas.

R Minimise the distance that liquid waste
containers need to be moved on site.
R Implement a maintenance plan for regular
cleaning of stormwater drains.
R Prevent overflows by installing emergency
devices (such as shut-off valves and audible
alarms) to equipment that handles liquid
waste.

Identify the drains

that are connected Regularly check
to stormwater and spill response
make sure that only stations to make
uncontaminated sure they contain
rainwater enters all the appropriate
these drains. equipment.

Take care with liquid wastes ...

Businesses that handle liquid Stormwater flows directly to local
waste in a way that threatens waterways … remember the drain
the environment can be issued is just for rain.
with a legal notice to take action,
fined and/or can face court action.

Published by: Department of Environment and Conservation NSW

59–61 Goulburn Street; PO Box A290 Sydney South 1232
Phone: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard)
Phone: 131 555 (environment information and publications requests)
Phone: 1300 361 967 (national parks information and publications requests)
Fax: (02) 9995 5999 TTY: (02) 9211 4723
Email: info@environment.nsw.gov.au Website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au
ISBN 1 74137 395 6 DEC 2005/246 October 2005 Printed on recycled paper