Roof Cleaning

Roof restorers and pressure cleaning contractors are involved in many activities which can cause harm to the environment if inappropriate work practices are employed. Here are some tips to help you and your industry protect the environment and avoid costly fines.

On-site

Site conditions can influence the likelihood of pollution occurring. Assess each site individually and use one or more of the following controls:

• Disconnect downpipes so that water will not run directly into the stormwater system
• Collect run-off in drums/buckets for appropriate disposal
• Block stormwater drains with sandbags or absorbent material
• Contain the site with a silt fence or portable bunding
• Divert run-off to a well-vegetated area, ensuring the area does not become water logged and overflow
• Dig an infiltration trench close by and divert run-off to this trench
• Place filter socks in the downpipe, ensuring the gutters do not overflow
• Avoid the use of chemical cleaning agents wherever possible and investigate biodegradable alternatives
• Pressure cleaning asbestos roofs is not appropriate.

Disposal

Disposal methods for waste materials include:

• If run-off has been contained and collected, it must be disposed of at an appropriately licenced liquid waste facility and must not be disposed of to sewer or Council’s wastewater treatment plants
• Divert run-off to a well-vegetated area for filtration into the soil ensuring the area does not become waterlogged and overflow to the gutter
• Filter run-off through a sand filter or similar to remove solid pollutants.

Spills

Disposal methods for waste materials include:

1. If run-off has been contained and collected, it must be disposed of at an appropriately licensed liquid waste facility and must not be disposed of to sewer or Council’s wastewater treatment plants.
2. Divert run-off to a well-vegetated area for filtration into the soil ensuring the area does not become waterlogged and overflow to the gutter.
3. Filter run-off through a sand filter or similar to remove solid pollutants.

Develop a spill strategy within your business for handling spills, large or small. If a spill is too large to contain yourself, or you do not have the appropriate cleanup materials, contact your local Council or a licensed liquid waste disposal operator.

Penalties

Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, it is an offence to pollute any waters. Penalties for this offence can be up to $1,000,000. Breaches of this legislation through inappropriate work practices may attract a minimum on the spot fine of $4,000 for individuals or $8,000 for corporations or court action for more serious breaches. 

Pollution includes the carrying out of any activity that is likely to allow any material to flow, fall, be washed or blown into the drain, channel or gutter.

Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?

Environmental protection is everyone’s responsibility. Knowing your role can save you money in fines and also prevent any negative publicity for your organisation. This information is provided as a guide for your industry. When using any of these control techniques you will need to monitor their effectiveness. Often more than one control method will be required.

Thank you for helping protect our environment.