Printing

• lithography
• gravure or rotogravure
• flexography
• screen printing
• letter press 

• heavy metals (especially silver)
• solvents
• chloride
• fountain wash solutions
• inks
• flexography plate acid bath, etching and wash-out solutions 

In many cases, companies require a waste discharge permit to discharge industrial or commercial wastes into the sewers. However, the Capital Regional District's (CRD) sewer use bylaw also provides for the discharge of certain types of waste under industry-specific codes of practice.

A code of practice is a regulatory document, developed by the Capital Regional District, which contains mandatory sanitary sewer discharge standards for specific industrial, institutional, or commercial sectors. Codes of practice set out minimum effluent treatment, equipment maintenance and record-keeping requirements for various sector operations. A business or organization operating under an approved code of practice does not require a waste discharge permit under the CRD sewer use bylaw.

The code of practice for printing operations (Schedule "Q") describes the rules as defined by the CRD for the disposal of liquid waste from printing operations into the sewer.

Important documents:

• Waste Discharge Assessment Form [PDF/543KB]
• Guidebook for Regulations and Best Management Practices [PDF/349KB]
• Code of Practice: Schedule "Q" [PDF/135KB]
• CRD Sewer Use Bylaw No. 2922 [PDF/610KB]

• Avoid discharging wastewater containing:
  • prohibited, restricted or special waste
  • rinse water from equipment that has been washed in solvent
  • inks and fountain solutions
  • flexography plat acid bath solutions, etching solutions and wash-out solutions
  • cleaning solvents
  • uncontaminated water, in quantities greater than two cubic meters per day
• Do not dispose of stormwater into sewer.
• All wastewater generated in printing process must be directed through treatment works before entering the sewer.
• All grey water and sanitary water must not pass through treatment works.
• Any waste collected in treatment works must not be disposed of in sewer. 

• Install and maintain a trade waste interceptor, at least one oil-adsorbing filter and at least one least one activated carbon cartridge.
• Oil-adsorbing filter(s) must be installed downstream of trade waste interceptor and upstream of activated carbon cartridge(s).
• Liquid waste traveling through treatment works must pass through a metering pump that is calibrated at least once per year.  
• Trade waste interceptor must be at least 75L and retain liquid waste for at least four hours.
• Treatment works must be located so that they are easily accessible for inspection and maintenance. 

• The trade waste interceptor must be inspected at least once every 6 months to check the depth of settled solids and floating material.
• Settled solids must not exceed 7.5 cm or 25% of wetted height and floating material must not exceed 2.5 cm or 5% of the wetted height.
• Treatment works must be cleaned out at least every 24 months. 

• Replace oil-adsorbing filter and activated carbon cartridge when:
  • expiration date has been reached
  • when 80% of recommended max capacity or cumulative flow has been reached
  • when analytical tests determine that concentrations of oil, grease, and hydrocarbons exceeds amounts outline in Schedule “Q” (Section 2.8) 

• Install a monitoring or sampling point downstream from the activated carbon cartridge but upstream of the discharge point for other wastes
  • the sampling point must always be easily accessible for inspection and monitoring 

• Have a spill response plan kept on site and ready for inspection by an officer.
• Ensure that all spill prevention/clean-up equipment and supplies are always kept in stock and readily available for use.
• Materials that must be stored using spill containment to prevent any spilled material from entering the sewer include:
  • solvents, dyes, paints, inks
  • waste solvents, waste paint, waste dyes and any other waste from a printing process 

• Maintain records for at least two years and have them available upon request
• Trade waste interceptor records must include:
  • date of maintenance
  • description of maintenance
  • quantity of material removed
  • name of disposal/recycling company/facility receiving any material removed
• Oil-adsorbing filter and activated carbon cartridge records must include:
  • installation date
  • serial number  
  • expiration date  
  • maximum recommended capacity or total cumulative flow
  • dates of metering pump calibrations
  • dates and descriptions or all operations problems
• Record of disposal or recycling services for spent fountain wash solution, waste solvents, dyes, paints, inks and other waste must include:
  • name of disposal/recycling company/facility receiving any material removed
  • type of material
  • quantity of material
  • date that material is transferred 

• Never pour any fluids, wash/rinse water, wastewater or spills into storm drains, ditches, parking lots or outdoor work areas.
• When hosing or washing equipment or surfaces outside, do not let the runoff water enter the storm drain.
• Regularly inspect and maintain any parking lot catch basins.
• Store waste products and outdoor containers under covered areas with appropriate spill containment. Inspect after a rainstorm to make sure no materials leaked out.
• Educate staff about spill prevention and response and have spill plan and kit available.
• Regularly inspect and maintain any parking lot catch basins, cleaning them out at least once per year.