Trade Waste Bylaw out for consultation
MEDIA RELEASE
09 October 2009
New Trade Waste Bylaw out for consultation
Changes to the way cafes, restaurants and industrial premises can dispose of waste will be up for discussion, with a new Trade Waste Bylaw going out for consultation.
The purpose of the Trade Waste Bylaw is to control and monitor trade waste discharges into Council’s wastewater system. It will protect sewers, pumping stations, storage tanks, wastewater treatment plants and other related wastewater system structures from damage or misuse. It also protects Council’s legal liabilities and the environment by ensuring compliance with resource consents issued by Environment Waikato for the discharge of treated waste from Council’s wastewater treatment plants.
Changes include the need for businesses to apply for Trade Waste Consents for certain types of discharges into the sewer. This will help address issues relating to the build up of fats, oils and grease from certain discharges, or the control of substances which may be harmful to the biological wastewater treatment processes.
The bylaw also provides a basis for charging persons who use the wastewater system to cover the cost of conveying, treating and disposing of, or reusing their wastes while ensuring that the costs of treatment and disposal are shared fairly between trade waste and domestic dischargers. This will be a more “user pays” system of wastewater charging. However, Council wishes to balance the need for sharing the costs of wastewater management more equitably, with a need to encourage business development. How much any business might be expected to pay can not be calculated until Council has agreed its fees and charges for 2010-2011, but the experiences of other Councils suggest that any increases may not be large. The bylaw encourages cost savings through waste minimisation.
Copies of the draft Trade Waste Bylaw can be obtained from Council offices and libraries, or from Taupo District Council’s website here.
Submissions can be made for the proposed new bylaw in writing or online here, Submissions close at 5pm on Friday 11th December 2009.