Industrial companies are always looking to increase their productivity. However, the focus on improving and expanding production often overshadows how waste is generated and dealt with.
Investments in effluent treatment frequently trail behind other business areas, gaining attention only when they start impacting the company’s production capabilities. Addressing effluent management before it becomes a problem can be the key to delivering more efficient, cost-effective business practices that will future-proof compliance and growth potential.
Trade effluent is any liquid substance discharged into a public sewer that is not surface water or domestic sewage. It can refer to the wastewater generated by heavy industry, farming, or manufacturing processes.
Trade effluent can come from both large and small premises, including businesses such as car washes and launderettes and can be effluent from the industrial or business process that is discharged into a public sewer, washed down a sink or toilet, or put into a private sewer that connects to the public sewer.
In England and Wales, companies must adhere to strict regulations established in Section 118 of the Water Industry Act 1991 and have the wastewater company’s consent before discharging trade effluent into public sewers.
Trade effluent is made up of organic and chemical waste that if left untreated, can damage sewage infrastructure and pollute the wider environment. Sectors that produce trade effluent include:
Food and Beverage Producers
Pharmaceutical Companies
Automotive and Mechanical Industries
Laundries and Dry Cleaners
Laboratories
Agricultural Companies
Waste management and remediation
Mining and quarrying
The wastewater treatment process has three stages – primary, secondary and tertiary – each targeting specific pollutant types.
Primary treatment involves the physical removal of large solids and some organic matter through processes like screening, grit removal, and sedimentation. This stage aims to settle materials by gravity, remove floatable objects, and reduce pollutants such as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in wastewater.
Secondary treatment focuses on the removal of dissolved and suspended organic matter using biological processes. Microorganisms break down the organic compounds, reducing biochemical oxygen demand and further clarifying the wastewater.
Lastly, tertiary treatment is an advanced stage that aims to further polish the effluent to meet specific water quality standards by removing any remaining contaminants and fine suspended particles.
More information of the three stages can be found here.
Companies producing industrial effluent have three options for legal disposal but there are competing commercial and environmental pressures for each that are making it hard for businesses to choose the right approach.
Waste management and remediation
Tankering is increasingly becoming more expensive and adds to your carbon footprint. The regulations on who, how and where the tankers can dispose of the removed effluent are also reducing the disposal routes available.
Discharge effluent into a public sewer for a water utility to treat on your behalf
Businesses must have the consent of the wastewater company, under Section 118 of the Water Industry Act 1991, before discharging trade effluent into public sewers.
The wastewater company charges for receiving and disposing of trade effluent, but this can be costly. Breach your agreements through mismanagement or accident, and you could face serious fines or a complete shutdown of your operations until any problem is fixed, resulting in tankering off-site at significant expense.
Process effluent and sludge on site
Treating water effectively for disposal or reuse requires specialist skills and equipment that can threaten to outstretch companies’ limited budgets.
Water engineering specialists can address industrial clients’ potential issues with wastewater companies and trade effluent consents. Given the demand on wastewater companies to tighten up operations, industrial water users can expect to feel continuing pressure to keep treatment processes in order. The good news is advanced treatment processes can ensure that final effluent meets all required standards – whatever a business produces.
Pressure on industrial facilities to meet strict trade effluent standards is mounting, as increasing environmental scrutiny of water companies filters down to their commercial clients.
Every business is different – with all wastewater discharges having a different composition.
Optimising wastewater treatment processes, therefore, depends on a range of factors:
Type of effluent produced
Size, staffing, and setting of the site
Business goals
Available budget (CapEx considerations)
Consequently, each facility will require a tailored solution to meet its individual goals.
The two most common options are:
Process technology scenario
If a business is interested in a process technology to treat their industrial wastewater then a technical expert will determine the most suitable solution. To do this Marlowe Environmental Services will:
Read more about choosing the right chemicals package for your wastewater treatment plant here
Sludge reduction scenario
If a business is looking to reduce tankering costs associated to sludge disposal our specialists will qualify site requirements to determine if dewatering technology could be a financially viable solution. To do this Marlowe Environmental Services will:
Tankering costs are a huge burden on many business operations.
This is where on-site sludge dewatering equipment steps in. By investing in dewatering technology, you can transform your sludge management practices into a win-win for both the environment and your bottom line.
Here are some of the benefits of dewatering sludge:
Reduces overall running costs for sludge disposal
Can create resale opportunities in the bioenergy and fertiliser markets
Reduces transport, fuel, and disposal costs by reducing tankering
Reduces exhaust emissions, carbon footprints, and congestion
Importantly, it can also become part of the sustainability story that speaks to your brand's long-term environmental commitments
Our operational trials provide a highly efficient way to gather real-time data on how your wastewater / sludge will be treated. This data-driven approach helps you:
Build a strong case for capital investment: The trial results prove the effectiveness of on-site dewatering, making it easier to secure necessary funding.
Choose the right technology: By testing different equipment in your specific environment, you ensure you're investing in the most suitable solution.
Maintain compliance: The trial verifies your ability to meet regulatory requirements, giving you peace of mind.
On-site rental: Keep the equipment running smoothly on your site without a capital investment.
Capital investment: Make a permanent switch to on-site dewatering and unlock long-term cost savings.
End the trial: No obligation. Gain valuable insights from the trial data and report to inform future decisions.
If a business has received a notice of breach of discharge, they will need to address its wastewater treatment process fast. However, it’s not just breaches of consent that driver businesses to reconsider the efficiency of current wastewater treatment methods.
Upgrading a wastewater treatment solution can represent a commercial opportunity beyond compliance duties. A plant redesign could help realise a more efficient process that could save money, increase efficiencies, and minimise environmental impact.
Here are some of the key drivers to upgrading:
Tightening regulations to discharge or failing current consent standards
Plans for expansion and future discharge expectations
Need to optimise chemical regimes
Need to reduce energy use
Goals to reduce tankering
Ambition to reuse water or resell waste
The guide highlights the importance of industrial wastewater treatment and trade effluent management for efficient, cost-effective operations and compliance, outlining key treatment stages and tailored solutions for effective disposal.
