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Written by Robert Whittle
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Wednesday, 25 July 2007 |
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Letting concrete slurry run off into drains and the stormwater system can have serious ecological consequences; - heavy metals, toxic chemicals, nutrients and other pollutants bind to the sediments and are
- easily transported through our waterways, spreading the pollution (causing algal blooms, killing
- fish and causing offensive odours)
- it smothers aquatic life, blocks out the sunlight that they need to live and thus destroys delicate ecosystems
- the chemicals (e.g. metal-based pigments, caustic soda in the mortar) in the slurry may leach out and poison aquatic life.
To comply with the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2003 and Section 25 of the Environment Protection Act 1993 (and various other Acts), you must prevent your wastewater from entering the stormwater system. You must not leave any sediment in the gutter or drains when you have finished a job. As from 1 October 2003, the Water Quality Policy prohibits the pollution of the stormwater system and the state’s rivers, creeks, ground and marine waters. The Policy has general obligations which every person, business and industry must comply with as well as specific obligations for particular activities. Failure to comply with any of these obligations may result in the issuing of a $300 fine, Environment Protection Order, and/or prosecution. Clause 17 (1) of the Water Quality Policy states that a person must not discharge or deposit a pollutant listed in Part 1 of Schedule 4 of the Policy into any waters or onto land where it might enter any waters. The pollutants listed in Schedule 4 Part 1 which relate to concrete cutters include brick, bitumen or concrete cutting wastewater and concrete waste. Under Clause 17 (2) of the Policy soil, clay, gravel or sand must not be discharged or deposited into any waters. EPA 495/03 
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 July 2007 )
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