Do I need a discharge license?

Every industrial or commercial premises that releases wastewater in the form of trade effluent requires a discharge license. The reason for this is because the effluent could harm the environment.

Whether the premises lets go 2 litres or 2,000 litres of wastewater a day, detailed information needs to be provided and a form completed in order to apply for a discharge license. Full details about making an application can be found on the www.gov.uk website.

The application is normally based on duration of discharge, either six months or less or more than six months. The application is made to the respective Water and Sewerage Company (WASC) and Environmental Agencies.

As such, any business that operates a trade effluent process must obtain a discharge license. Once approved, that licence will provide the company with specific consent to drop its wastewater into a public foul sewer. Every process is different and therefore every licence is unique. Water companies employ trade effluent officers who are responsible for checking companies are staying within their consent. Failing to stay within the limits of the licence can result in fines or prosecution.

If you have any questions relating to understanding and monitoring trade effluent or obtaining a discharge license, please don’t hesitate to give any of the Detectronic team a call. Remember that if you change anything in the process, it may affect the discharge. You may be growing your business or start producing a new product line. It’s important that remember to tell your provider of any changes especially if it is going to result in you breaching your consent.

Detectronic offers trade effluent services to help you monitor your wastewater, whether that’s an ongoing monitoring programme or a short term trade effluent survey to understand what’s happening at any point. Contact us at kontakt@detectronic.org