Manufacturing
2 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
Stone fabricators generate: stone offcuts and dust as the dominant stream, plus slurry from wet cutting (requires settlement and disposal), packaging, and general waste.
Stone slurry cannot be discharged to sewer without treatment. Clean stone offcuts can be used as fill ($30–50/tonne).
Contaminated slurry disposal: $100–250/tonne. Monthly waste: $500–2,000.
Install slurry settlement tanks to reduce disposal volume.
Key Numbers
- Clean stone offcuts as fill: $30-50/tonne
- Contaminated slurry disposal: $100-250/tonne
- Typical monthly waste cost: $500-2,000
- EPA max corporate fine (GED s.25): About $2.03 million
What You Need to Know
Stone and marble fabrication produces heavy, weight-based waste, so the economics turn entirely on separation. Clean offcuts have a use; slurry from wet cutting does not — and it cannot be discharged to sewer without treatment.
| Stream | Route / cost |
|---|
| Clean stone offcuts | Reuse as fill — $30-50/tonne |
| Contaminated slurry | Treated disposal — $100-250/tonne |
| Packaging | Recycling |
| General waste | Landfill |
The gap between $30-50/tonne for clean offcuts and $100-250/tonne for contaminated slurry is the whole argument for a settlement tank: settling reduces the slurry volume you pay to treat. Discharging untreated slurry to sewer is precisely the avoidable risk the General Environmental Duty (GED) obliges you to minimise so far as reasonably practicable. On a $500-2,000 monthly bill, smarter separation cuts both weight and disposal class. Bundle Waste is an independent broker that audits your invoices free, compares a network of providers, and is paid only from the savings we find.
Related Resources
Related Questions
Is a waste management plan legally required in Victoria?+
A formal plan is required for: construction projects (most councils require one), EPA-licensed premises, and Green Star-rated buildings. The General Environmental Duty effectively requires documented waste procedures as evidence of compliance for all businesses.
What are the asbestos disposal requirements in Victoria?+
Bonded asbestos requires Class B licensed removalist; friable asbestos requires Class A. All must be double-wrapped in 200 micron polyethylene, labelled, and transported to licensed landfill. Disposal costs $300–500/tonne. Illegal disposal carries penalties up to about $2.03 million.
What waste management do laundries need?+
Commercial laundries generate: lint, chemical waste (perchloroethylene in dry cleaning — PIW), damaged textiles, packaging, wastewater. Perc is Category C prescribed waste requiring EPA tracking. Trade waste agreements mandatory. Monthly cost: $200–800.
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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.
What waste do mobile tradespeople generate?+
Mobile trades generate waste at customer sites. Under the EP Act 2017, tradies must not leave waste at customer sites without agreement. Options: return to depot, use transfer stations ($10–30/visit). Chemical waste must never enter stormwater drains.
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Updated 25 June 2026
