Environmental Management Plan | Brisbane Grounds Co.

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Document: Environmental Management Plan Statement
Organisation: Brisbane Grounds Co. (Kneller Pest Management Pty Ltd, ABN 70 624 271 567)
Applies to: All grounds maintenance, landscaping, fencing and green waste work, on client sites and at our Brendale yard
Responsible person: Damien, Founder
Version: 1.0
Issued: September 2026
Next review: September 2027

Environmental policy

Brisbane Grounds Co. maintains grounds for commercial, industrial, strata and residential properties across North Brisbane and Moreton Bay. Our work involves herbicides, fuel, machinery, water and green waste, often close to stormwater drains, creeks and bushland. We accept that we have a responsibility to do this work without harming the environment, and to leave every site in better condition than we found it.

We are committed to:

complying with all environmental laws, licences and client site requirements that apply to our work
preventing pollution of soil, stormwater and waterways
using herbicides and other chemicals responsibly, only as needed and only by licensed operators
reducing waste and recycling green waste
using water efficiently in the gardens and irrigation systems we look after
protecting native vegetation and wildlife, and preventing the spread of weeds and pests
reducing fuel use, noise and dust
making sure everyone who works for us understands this plan and their responsibilities under it
reviewing this plan every year and improving how we work

Purpose and scope

This statement summarises our environmental management plan: the environmental risks of our work, and the controls we use to manage them. It gives clients, property managers and body corporates a clear view of how we work on their sites, and it can be included in contractor onboarding and tender documents.

It covers all services we provide, including lawn mowing, garden maintenance, hedging and pruning, weed control, irrigation, turf laying, soft landscaping, fencing and green waste removal. It applies to our staff and to any subcontractors working for us.

Legal and other requirements

We identify and comply with the environmental requirements that apply to our work. The main ones are:

Requirement	How it applies to our work
Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld)	The general environmental duty: take all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent or minimise environmental harm. Includes not releasing contaminants such as chemicals, fuel, soil and clippings into stormwater, and controlling noise.
Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 (Qld)	Permitted hours for noisy power tools and garden equipment in residential areas.
Agricultural Chemicals Distribution Control Act 1966 (Qld)	Commercial herbicide application is carried out under our Queensland ACDC licence.
Chemical Usage (Agricultural and Veterinary) Control Act 1988 (Qld)	Chemicals are used only for registered purposes, at label rates, following label directions.
Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld)	The general biosecurity obligation: managing invasive plants and pests, and following fire ant movement controls for soil, mulch, turf and green waste.
Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 (Qld)	Waste is disposed of lawfully, never dumped, and recycled where possible.
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)	Safe storage, handling and use of hazardous chemicals, including Safety Data Sheets.
Council local laws	City of Moreton Bay and Brisbane City Council requirements, for example on vegetation, footpaths and waste.
Client requirements	Client environmental management plans, site rules and body corporate by-laws, which we follow on each site.

Environmental aspects, impacts and controls

These are the activities in our work that can affect the environment, and the controls we use on every site.

Aspect	Potential impact	How we control it
Herbicide and chemical use	Spray drift onto non-target plants; contamination of soil, drains and waterways; harm to people, pets, bees and wildlife.	Applied only under our Queensland ACDC licence Registered products only, used at label rates Spot spraying preferred over blanket spraying No spraying in windy conditions or when rain is forecast Buffers kept from drains, creeks and waterways Only products registered for use near water are used there Site contact told about spraying in shared areas
Fuel, oil and machinery	Spills and leaks contaminating soil and stormwater.	Refuel on hard surfaces away from drains Fuel carried in approved, sealed containers Spill kit carried in work vehicles Machinery maintained to prevent leaks
Clippings, soil and mulch	Nutrients and sediment washing into drains and waterways, causing algae and blockages.	Clippings blown back onto lawns and garden beds, never into gutters or drains Paths, car parks and hard surfaces cleaned after every visit Soil, mulch and turf stockpiles kept away from drains, and covered or contained when needed Sediment controls on landscaping and turf jobs where runoff is likely
Green waste and general waste	Waste sent to landfill; weeds spread through dumped material; illegal dumping.	Green waste taken to recycling facilities to become mulch and compost Seeding weeds bagged and disposed of so they can't spread General waste removed and disposed of lawfully Chemical containers triple-rinsed and recycled through drumMUSTER where eligible
Water use	Wasted water; overwatering causing runoff and disease.	Irrigation systems checked, leaks repaired and controllers programmed for the season Watering times and amounts set to follow any water restrictions or conservation measures in place Drought-tolerant turf and climate-suited plants recommended
Biodiversity, weeds and biosecurity	Spread of weed seeds, fire ants and plant diseases between sites; damage to native vegetation and wildlife.	Equipment cleaned of soil and plant material before moving from a weed-infested site Fire ant movement controls followed for soil, mulch, turf and green waste Suspected fire ants reported to Biosecurity Queensland Hedges and shrubs checked for nesting birds and wildlife before cutting Native vegetation and waterway buffers protected Invasive plants identified and reported to the client
Noise and dust	Nuisance to tenants, residents and neighbours.	Noisy equipment used only within permitted hours and any quieter hours set by the site Work planned around site operations Care taken not to blow dust and debris towards people, open windows, vehicles or neighbouring properties
Fuel use and emissions	Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from vehicles and equipment.	Nearby sites grouped on the same day to reduce travel Engines maintained and not left idling Lower-emission and battery equipment considered as it becomes practical for commercial work

Chemical management

Storage and transport

Chemicals are kept in their original labelled containers, stored securely away from drains, and never decanted into unlabelled containers.
Safety Data Sheets are kept for every product we use.
Containers are secured upright in vehicles during transport.

Mixing and application

Only the amount needed for the job is mixed, away from drains and waterways.
Products are applied at label rates, only for the weeds and situations they are registered for.
Weather is checked before spraying. We don't spray in windy conditions, in high heat, or when rain is expected.
Treated areas in shared spaces are communicated to the site contact.

Records

For each herbicide application we record the date, site, product, rate, area treated, weather conditions and operator. Records are available to the client on request.

Disposal

Leftover spray mix is applied to a registered target area, never poured down a drain. Empty containers are triple-rinsed and recycled through drumMUSTER where eligible, or disposed of lawfully.

Incident and spill response

If a spill or other environmental incident happens on a site, our team will:

Stop the work and make the area safe.
Contain the spill using the spill kit, and protect nearby drains and waterways.
Clean up the affected material and dispose of it lawfully.
Notify the site contact straight away, and the relevant authority where the law requires it.
Record and review what happened, and change how we work to stop it happening again.

Training and responsibilities

Who	Responsibilities
Founder	Owns this plan; makes sure resources, training and equipment are in place; reviews incidents and the plan itself.
Team members	Follow this plan and each client's site rules; report hazards, spills and environmental issues straight away.
Licensed operators	Carry out herbicide application under the ACDC licence, keep application records and manage chemicals safely.
Subcontractors	Meet the same standards as our own team while working for us.

Every team member is taken through this plan when they start, and again when it changes.

Working with client requirements

Many commercial and strata sites have their own environmental rules. We follow the client's environmental management plan, site rules and body corporate by-laws alongside this plan, and where they differ, the stricter requirement applies.

We also act as an extra set of eyes on the property, and report environmental issues we notice, such as erosion, leaking irrigation, blocked drains, dumped rubbish, weed infestations and suspected fire ants.

Monitoring and review

This plan is reviewed at least once a year (next review: September 2027), and sooner after an environmental incident, a change in the law, or when we start offering a new service. Feedback from clients is welcome at any time. Contact us on (07) 3112 8963 or at info@brendalepropertymaintenance.com.au.

Damien
Founder, Brisbane Grounds Co. · September 2026

Environmental Management Plan Statement