Businesses

Stormwater Information for Braintree Businesses

It is important for business owners to maintain their properties in a way that won’t harm the water bodies around them. Check out the resources below for some useful pollution prevention tips.

Waste and Material Storage

If waste is stored in a container or dumpster that leaks or isn’t properly covered, then it’s likely that some of that material will run off into nearby water bodies. 

Be sure to inspect dumpsters regularly and make sure the clean-out plug is properly secured to prevent leaking.

Outdoor Cleaning

Sweep outdoor areas daily to control trash and litter. Do not dispose of trash in catch basins.

Provide trash receptacles in highly visible locations and outdoor receptacles for cigarette butts.

If you hose down an area, don’t use detergent or chemical cleaners to wash sidewalks or driveways.

Never pour wash water onto a parking lot, alleyway, sidewalk, or street, as these areas ultimately drain into local waterways.

Power/Pressure Washing

Implement appropriate control measures to minimize discharges of mobilized solids and other pollutants. Sweep debris and dispose in a trash can and never a catch basin.

Never use cleaning agents, detergents, or hazardous cleaning products.

Retain water. Water should never be discharged into catch basins or storm drains during cleanings.

Indoor Cleaning

Choose water based cleaning products over chemical based alternatives (look for labels like “ammonia free,” “non-toxic,” “dye and perfume free,” etc.).

Do not pour wash water into the storm drain. Instead, dispose of wash water through a floor drain, mop sink, or a toilet.

In restaurants and food establishments, properly maintain grease traps. Waste cooking oil and grease should be contained in a separate receptacle designed to handle grease. You can hire a waste hauler to dispose of your establishment’s bulk grease.

Chemical Spills

Use absorbent material to soak up liquid spills. Immediately sweep up the dry material and do not hose down the area.

Never dump hazardous waste – including chemicals, automotive fluids, paint, and commercial waste – into catch basins. Dispose of hazardous waste properly.

Questions about proper hazardous waste disposal? Call the Braintree Trash & Recycling Department at 781-794-8088.

Snow and Ice Removal

Store road salt and de-icing agents carefully and apply them sparingly to reduce the amount of chemical run off carried by melting snow.

Choose de-icing agents that are non-toxic to plants and wildlife.

To read more about de-icing best management practices, check out this guide from the New Hampshire DOT.

Landscaping

If possible, use permeable pavers for walkways and other outdoor surfaces. Permeable pavers allow storm water to soak through them, which reduces the amount of run off that would normally occur on an impervious sidewalk.

Use organic, slow-release nitrogen, or no/low-phosphorous fertilizers while landscaping. This will prevent harmful algae growth in local water bodies.

Depending on your soil’s existing nutrient load, you may not even have to fertilize your lawn. Visit DEP’s website to find out how you can have the soil on your property tested.

Irrigation

Avoid over-watering the grass. A lawn only needs 1 inch of water per week to stay green, so be sure to tune in to weather reports to see if watering your lawn is necessary.

Practice responsible sprinkler use by using timers, moisture sensors, and pointing sprinkler heads at your lawn and not the pavement.

To learn how to implement irrigation best management practices at your business, read this fact sheet from the EPA WaterSense program.