EPA Grease Trap Regulations Melbourne: Complete 2026 Guide

EPA Victoria Grease Trap Regulations: What Every Melbourne Business Must Know in 2026

If you operate a food service business in Melbourne, grease trap compliance isn’t optional — it’s a legal requirement enforced by EPA Victoria and your local water authority. Failing to meet these obligations can result in significant fines and penalties, business shutdowns, and serious environmental harm to Melbourne’s waterways and sewer infrastructure.

This comprehensive guide covers everything Melbourne business owners need to know about EPA grease trap regulations in 2026, from installation requirements to ongoing maintenance obligations.

Who Needs a Grease Trap in Melbourne?

Under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and associated regulations, any commercial premises that produces fats, oils, and grease (FOG) as part of its operations is required to install and maintain an approved grease trap. This includes:

• Restaurants, cafes, and takeaway shops
• Hotel and motel kitchens
• Bakeries and patisseries
• Aged care facility kitchens
• Hospital food preparation areas
• School canteens and university food courts
• Shopping centre food courts
• Butcher shops and delicatessens
• Commercial catering operations

If your business prepares, processes, or serves food and is connected to Melbourne’s sewer system, you almost certainly require a grease trap. Visit our regulations overview page for a quick summary of your obligations.

The Australian Standard: AS 4674

Grease trap installation and maintenance in Melbourne must comply with AS 4674-2004 (Construction of Vessels for the On-Site Treatment of Sewage and Trade Waste). This standard governs:

• Trap sizing — Your grease trap must be appropriately sized for your business’s wastewater flow rate. Undersized traps cannot effectively separate FOG from wastewater.
• Installation requirements — Traps must be installed in accessible locations that allow for regular inspection and cleaning.
• Construction materials — Approved materials include concrete, fibreglass, and polyethylene, all of which must meet durability and chemical resistance requirements.
• Baffle design — Internal baffles must be correctly positioned to ensure proper FOG separation.

Your water authority — whether that’s Yarra Valley Water, South East Water, or City West Water — will verify AS 4674 compliance as part of your trade waste agreement application.

The 25% Rule: When You Must Clean Your Grease Trap

One of the most critical regulations Melbourne businesses must understand is the 25% rule for grease traps. Put simply, your grease trap must be pumped out and cleaned before the combined FOG and settled solids layer reaches 25% of the trap’s total liquid capacity.

This isn’t a guideline — it’s a firm regulatory requirement. Allowing FOG levels to exceed 25% means your trap is no longer effectively treating wastewater, and you’re at risk of:

• Discharging non-compliant wastewater into the sewer
• Causing blockages in shared sewer infrastructure
• Receiving infringement notices from your water authority
• Breaching your trade waste agreement conditions

Use our free compliance checker tool to determine whether your current cleaning schedule meets regulatory requirements.

Trade Waste Agreements: Your Licence to Operate

Every Melbourne business with a grease trap must hold a valid trade waste agreement with their water authority. This agreement sets out the conditions under which your business may discharge trade waste into the sewer system, including:

• Allowable contaminant concentrations
• Maximum discharge volumes
• Grease trap maintenance and cleaning requirements
• Record-keeping and reporting obligations
• Right of entry for inspections

The three water authorities serving Melbourne each have their own application processes and fee structures. Our trade waste agreement guide walks you through the process for each authority.

Compliance Documentation and Record-Keeping

EPA Victoria and Melbourne’s water authorities require businesses to maintain detailed records of all grease trap maintenance activities. At minimum, you must keep:

• Waste Transport Certificates (WTCs) — Issued by your licensed waste transporter for every pump-out. These certificates must be retained for at least three years.
• Maintenance logs — Records of all cleaning dates, FOG levels measured, and any repairs or modifications carried out.
• Inspection reports — Documentation from any water authority or council inspections.

Our compliance documentation service ensures you always have audit-ready records. We provide digital copies of every Waste Transport Certificate and maintain a complete service history for your business.

EPA Victoria Enforcement: What Happens If You Don’t Comply

EPA Victoria takes grease trap compliance seriously. Under the Environment Protection Act 2017, enforcement actions can include:

• Improvement notices — Requiring you to bring your grease trap into compliance within a specified timeframe
• Prohibition notices — Ordering you to cease operations until compliance is achieved
• Infringement notices — On-the-spot fines for specific breaches
• Civil penalties — Court-imposed fines of up to $9,913 for individuals and $49,565 for corporations per offence
• Criminal prosecution — For serious or repeated offences causing environmental harm

Learn more about the financial consequences in our detailed guide to grease trap fines and penalties in Victoria.

Changes to EPA Regulations in 2025-2026

The regulatory landscape for grease trap compliance in Melbourne continues to evolve. Key developments in the 2025-2026 period include:

• Enhanced monitoring requirements — Water authorities are increasingly requiring digital monitoring and reporting for larger commercial premises.
• Stricter enforcement — EPA Victoria has increased its inspection frequency and is taking a harder line on repeat offenders.
• Sustainability focus — Growing emphasis on FOG recycling and sustainable waste management practices.
• Updated discharge limits — Some water authorities have tightened allowable contaminant concentrations in trade waste.

How to Stay Compliant: A Practical Checklist

Maintaining grease trap compliance in Melbourne doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow this checklist to stay on the right side of the regulations:

• Ensure your grease trap is correctly sized and installed to AS 4674
• Hold a current trade waste agreement with your water authority
• Schedule regular pump-outs to maintain FOG levels below 25%
• Use a licensed waste transporter for all pump-outs
• Retain Waste Transport Certificates for a minimum of three years
• Maintain a maintenance log accessible for inspections
• Train staff on proper FOG management practices
• Respond promptly to any water authority notices or requests

Melbourne Grease Trap Cleaning helps hundreds of Melbourne businesses maintain full EPA compliance. From compliance documentation to scheduled pump-outs, we take the hassle out of grease trap management so you can focus on running your business.