National Marine Week is an annual awareness week run by The Wildlife Trust. It’s a celebration of the seas around Britain and a chance to get out and about and make the most of our precious waters and their inhabitants. The UK’s marine environment is alive with life, with many marine habitats providing home to thousands of fascinating and under threat creatures. Marine Week is a chance to raise awareness of our marine environment and look at ways to give it the protection it deserves.
This year Marine Week is running from July 24 until August 8 and we’re using it as a chance to look more closely as your business’ wastewater management and the risks improper management pose to our oceans, as well as our water supply in general.
Managing wastewater to protect our oceans
Wastewater is produced in several ways. It comes from water used in businesses and factors (as well as in domestic homes) and from rain which falls on roofs, roads and pavements. Wastewater follows the same path in all instances, it feeds into our drains and sewers underneath the roads. The sewers then carry the water, which has now become sewage, for treatment at waste treatment centres or sewage works. Our sewers are increasingly getting blocked by improper materials being disposed of down drains, from wipes to cooking oils, and this is just one of many issues which impacts the ability to properly treat wastewater and leads to some contaminants reaching the oceans.
Untreated waste water includes a wide range of different pollutants, such as pathogens, chemicals and dangerous plastics. It poses a significant risk to human health as well as environmental health as it increases toxic exposure, the spread of disease and eutrophication, the process which sees whole bodies of water overrun by algae and other plant growth. All businesses need to ensure their wastewater is dealt with appropriately to minimise their impact on the environment.
What is Trade Effluent?
Some businesses also need to consider their trade effluent and dealing with this properly. Trade effluent is described as “any liquid, either with or without particles of matter in suspension in the liquid, which is wholly or partly produced in the course of any trade or industry carried out at a trade premises.” Disposing of this liquid often requires permission from the Sewerage Undertaker so certain businesses need to keep this in mind too.
We discuss trade effluent in more depth here for businesses who need to understand more.
Why wastewater management matters
Wastewater management is something all businesses need to do, to operate safely and legally. Just like the disposal of other waste, it needs to be treated in the right way. Many areas of the world simply do not have enough water, and this means all of us, in all communities, should do what we can to recycle and treat wastewater so it can be reused and remain in the water cycle. Similarly, untreated wastewater poses such a huge threat to our marine life and as we’re supporting Marine Week, it’s important to think about how our businesses impact on the wider environment, including our seas.
Properly treated wastewater can be used effectively and remain in the water cycle, Wastewater which cannot be treated fully can still be used for some purposes, such as recycling back into factory use or for industrial processing.
Wave specialise in supporting businesses with their water and wastewater management. Our team are always available if you need guidance and help in managing your wastewater. Simply get in touch and we’ll help in any way we can.
