Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present.

Types of effluent and wastes:
· from culture structures
· bio-hazard (moribund animals, hormones and chemicals)
· uneaten food, settled solids or sediments
· nitrogenous wastes
· solid and soluble.

Effluent and waste treatment programs:
· government requirements
· settlement ponds/tanks
· chemicals/biological or mechanical filtration
· recycling
· integration with agriculture
· polyculture.

Labour requirements:
· specialised equipment operators
· workers
· vessel operators
· transport operators.

Resources requirements:
· vessels, vehicles, trucks, trailers
· collection equipment:
· nets
· sediment ponds, sumps and gulley traps
· absorbent materials
· submersible and sludge pumps
· holding and on farm transport equipment:
· buckets
· bins
· troughs
· tanks
· plastic bags, boxes, metal canisters and packing materials
· chemicals and reagents
· soil samples
· acid washed bottles
· pH meter
· protective gloves
· respirator
· protective clothing
· culture structures
· quadrants and rulers
· photographs (video or stills)
· water and benthic samplers
· laboratory equipment:
· vacuum filtration
· ovens
· fume hoods
· balance
· spectrophotometer
· autoclaves
· chemicals and reagents
· treatment facilities.

Risk factors:
· adverse weather conditions
· equipment failure or breakdown
· absent staff
· stressed or dying stock
· Occupational Health and Safety.

Adverse environmental impacts:
· effluent or waste spillage or entry into environment
· stock stress or contamination
· hypernutrification and eutrophication
· build up of hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, phosphorus, methane
· changes in benthos
· shellfish poisoning
· transfer of pathogens
· increase in bacterial levels.

Government requirements:
Relevant local, State, Territory and Commonwealth legislation, regulations and orders.

Bio-hazard materials:
· therapeutic agents, such as malachite green, formalin, antibiotics
· sodium hypochloride
· herbicide
· pesticides
· anti-fouling agents
· bacteria
· hormone and growth promoters.

Ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles:
· controlling effluent waste, reducing contaminants
· preventing live culture organisms being introduced into environment
· disposing of dead plant or animal matter.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. Its purpose is to guide assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. The following components provide information to assist this purpose.

Underpinning knowledge
The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to perform work to the required standard include:
· types of wastes and their potential for impact on the environment
· methods for treating effluent and waste on- and off-site and the relative risk and cost factors for each
· equipment used in the collection, holding, transport and treatment of effluent and waste
· ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles
· water and soil quality analyses
· government requirements pertaining to effluent and waste treatment and disposal.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· supervising staff and contractors
· negotiating with contractors.

Literacy skills used for:
· reading guidelines and directives issued by government organisations
· recording information relating to effluent and waste treatment programs.

Numeracy skills used for:
· estimating labour and resources required
· taking and recording results of analyses.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· co-ordinate effluent and waste collection, treatment and disposal in a safe, cost effective manner consistent with ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles and government regulations.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· methods for treating effluent and waste on- and off-site and the relative risk factors for each
· ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· No recommendations.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment with a range of effluent and waste products that could typically be produced as a result of aquaculture operations in the region.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· written or oral short-answer testing
· practical demonstration
· project work related to on-site scenario or based on a case study.

Resources required for assessment
Resources may include:
· on-site scenario or case study
· research reference material
· legislation and regulations.