Manufacturing
2 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
Ice cream manufacturers generate: dairy waste (high BOD — significant trade waste), off-spec product (donate or compost), packaging materials, ingredient packaging, and general waste.
Dairy waste in sewer systems is a major concern — trade waste pre-treatment may be required. Monthly waste: $300–800.
Off-spec product can be donated to food rescue at zero cost. Trade waste fees for dairy: $1,000–5,000/year.
Key Numbers
- Trade waste fees for dairy: $1,000–5,000/year
- Monthly waste cost: $300–800
- Off-spec product to food rescue: Zero cost
- Metro landfill levy (2025–26): $169.79/tonne
What You Need to Know
For an ice cream maker, the bill is driven less by the bin out the back and more by what goes down the drain. Dairy is high in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), so the trade-waste line — not general waste — is usually the silent cost. Each stream has a very different exit:
- Dairy wash-down — high BOD; pre-treatment may be required before sewer discharge, and trade waste fees for dairy run $1,000–5,000/year.
- Off-spec product — donate to food rescue at zero cost rather than paying to landfill it.
- Ingredient and product packaging — separate clean cardboard and recyclables to shrink the general bin.
- Food waste — divert to organics ahead of the statewide shift under FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) Policy.
Bundle Waste is an independent broker: our free invoice audit reads your trade-waste and bin charges line by line, compares a network of providers, and we are paid only from the savings we find — up to 30%.
Related Resources
Related Questions
How should food manufacturers manage waste?+
Food manufacturers generate: production waste (5–15% of raw materials), packaging, wash-down water (trade waste), expired product. Mid-size manufacturer: $2,000–8,000/month. Key savings: production waste to animal feed/composting, cardboard baling.
How should wineries manage waste?+
Wineries generate: grape marc/pomace, lees, chemical waste, packaging, wastewater (high BOD). Marc can be composted or used as animal feed. Trade waste agreements required. Mid-size winery: $500–2,000/month.
What waste does a Melbourne microbrewery generate compared to a large brewery?+
Microbreweries (under 200,000L/year) generate proportionally more packaging waste per litre due to smaller batch sizes. Spent grain: 50–200kg/batch (give to local farmers — free). Glass breakage: 2–5% of packaged product. Chemical cleaning waste: smaller volumes but same compliance requirements as large breweries. Monthly waste: $200–600. Trade waste agreement needed regardless of size.
How should a Melbourne distillery manage waste?+
Distilleries generate: spent botanicals and grain (compostable — excellent for farming partnerships), glass breakage, chemical cleaning waste, packaging, and high-strength wastewater (trade waste). Spent botanicals can go to composting or animal feed. Distillery wastewater is very high in BOD — pre-treatment may be required before sewer discharge. Monthly waste: $300–1,000. Trade waste fees: $500–2,000/year.
How should a Melbourne commercial cheese maker manage waste?+
Cheese makers generate: whey (high-BOD liquid — significant trade waste stream), packaging, cleaning chemical waste, brine waste, and general waste. Whey has value as animal feed or whey protein processing. Trade waste agreements are critical as whey discharged untreated can cause major sewer issues. Monthly waste: $300–800. Trade waste fees can be significant ($1,000–5,000/year) without whey management.
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Updated 25 June 2026
