Storage and handling

Liquids and solids can cause pollution when they leak, spill or catch fire. Even clean water can cause pollution if it washes pollutants into our waterways or leaches pollutants into the soil or groundwater.

Liquids and solids can leak, spill and catch fire when they are poorly stored or handled.

Examples of businesses at risk of leaks, spills and fire are:

• businesses storing powders, granules and pellets
• chemical manufacturers using and storing industrial chemicals
• council depots using and storing paints, pesticides, oil and fuel
• farms using and storing fuel, agricultural chemicals and waste tyres
• fast food restaurants using and storing cooking oil
  
• food manufacturers making drinks like fruit juice and milk
• mechanics storing new and used oils and fuel
  
• offices storing cleaning products or combustible waste
• service stations.

The harm caused will depend on:

• what is leaked or spilt
• how much is leaked or spilt
• the hazards posed by the substance
• the size and nature of any fire
• if the leak or spill enters the air, soil, groundwater, stormwater or surface water.

To learn more about how leaks and spills can harm human health and the environment, visit How contamination can cause harm.

To learn more about the risks of fire from waste, visit Manage fire risk at your business.

Storage and handling and the law

If your business produces, uses or stores any solid or liquid materials, including waste, you must meet the general environmental duty. This duty means you must eliminate or reduce risks of harm so far as reasonably practicable.

If you have a leak, spill or fire that causes pollution or could potentially cause pollution to air, surface water, land or groundwater, these duties may apply:

• duty to take action to respond to harm caused by a pollution incident
• duty to notify us of a notifiable incident.

For information on notifying, view Report a pollution incident.

If you hold a permission, you must notify us immediately if you breach any condition of your permission.

The duty to manage contaminated land applies if a leak, spill or fire contaminates land or groundwater.

There are penalties for not meeting these duties.

Storage and handling to eliminate or reduce risk of harm

Your storage and handling practices must eliminate or reduce risk of harm from liquids and solids you are:

• managing
• using
• storing.

Following a risk management process will help you manage risk.

To learn how to eliminate or reduce risk of harm when storing and handling, visit:

• Liquid storage and handling guidelines
• Solid storage and handling guidelines
• Preventing leaks and spills from entering the environment.

Special storage and handling requirements apply to dangerous goods. Visit, Code of practice: the storage and handling of dangerous goods(opens in a new window).

Storage and handling for industrial waste management

Industrial and priority waste

Use risk controls that still make resource recovery possible – for example:

• store waste tyres separately to other waste
• clearly label waste collection containers and designated storage areas
• store waste in a way that prevents it from leaking or being blown or washed away – for example, use weatherproof containers or bins under a roofed area.

Where possible, install and maintain further containment controls to prevent harm if a leak or spill does happen – for example, bunding or a double-walled tank.

Do not allow waste to accumulate over a long period of time.

Understand the risks of combustible waste – for example, batteries, plastic, paper and timber. Use controls that manage the risk of harm from fire.

Reportable priority waste

If you manage reportable priority waste, consider the highest levels of storage and handling controls.

Use both:

• a primary containment structure
• a backup secondary containment structure in case the primary fails.

For example, store waste in a bin (primary) in a bunded area (secondary), or install a double-walled tank or vault.

Use controls that minimise risks but still make resource recovery possible – for example:

• use vessels or containers (primary containment structures) that are designed, fabricated and installed in a way that eliminates loss of waste materials
• do not store reportable priority waste in underground tanks
• position vessels or containers outside on ground materials that:
  • will not deteriorate
  • minimise corrosion
• when you locate outdoor storage tanks, consider surface and groundwater, stormwater drains, soil, and water and sewerage infrastructure
• regularly remove waste to avoid accumulation
• monitor storage areas and conduct preventative maintenance programs on storage controls
• restrict access and use of reportable priority waste to staff adequately trained in its storage and handling.