Environmental Management and Waste Policy

Purpose. This policy sets out how Torque manages the environmental impacts of servicing, repairing and selling vehicles, including waste oil, coolant, batteries, tyres, refrigerants, solvents and stormwater.

1.Purpose

Torque generates waste streams that are regulated under the Environment Protection Act 2017 (Victoria) and the general environmental duty. This policy commits the business to preventing pollution, reducing waste and keeping the records that EPA Victoria and licensed waste contractors require.

2.Policy statement

Torque will segregate, store and dispose of every waste stream through a licensed contractor and will keep waste transport records for the required period. The business will prevent oil, coolant and fuel from reaching stormwater drains, will recover refrigerant with licensed equipment and will reduce energy and water use where practicable.

3.Waste streams and controls

Each waste stream has a designated container, a storage location and a contractor. Waste oil is stored in the bunded tank behind bay 12. Used coolant is kept in the labelled intermediate bulk container. Lead acid and lithium batteries are stored on the battery rack in the segregated cage with lithium batteries in the sand-lined fire container. Tyres are stacked in the tyre cage for collection.

• Waste oil: bunded tank, monthly collection
• Coolant: labelled container, collected on request
• Lead acid batteries: battery rack, fortnightly collection
• Lithium batteries: fire container, contractor called within 48 hours
• Tyres: tyre cage, weekly collection
• Oily rags and filters: sealed drums, monthly collection
• Solvent and parts washer fluid: contractor exchange service

4.Spill response

Spill kits are located at the workshop entrance, the fuel bowser and the parts washer. Workers must contain a spill immediately with absorbent, must stop it entering a drain and must report it as an environmental incident in the Incident and Hazard Register. Spills that reach a drain or exceed 20 litres must be reported to the WHS and Quality Coordinator the same day.

5.Refrigerants

Only technicians holding a current refrigerant handling licence will recover, recycle or recharge air conditioning systems. Recovered refrigerant is weighed and logged. Venting refrigerant to atmosphere is prohibited.

6.Responsibilities and review

The Service Manager and Parts and Accessories Manager are responsible for waste controls in their areas. The WHS and Quality Coordinator holds the waste contractor records and reviews this policy annually.