Environment Agency’s e-business reporting streamlines waste regulation

Date: September 11th 2009

Waste carriers and operators are set to benefit from much-improved systems and procedures for registration applications. The Environment Agency is changing to a new, consistent IT framework, to ensure data is held once, activities are efficiently supported and work is not duplicated. The benefits to its customers, including waste carriers and operators, are manifold but in particular the new systems represent an opportunity to save both time and money.

Until now, operators have only been able to apply for permits by post in writing but from August the Environment Agency began to switch to online applications. The first customers to benefit are waste carriers and brokers who can apply online, and with much simpler forms. All permits and registrations will eventually be held electronically, enabling customers to update information and make returns online.

Logging in to the new system.

Monitoring Returns
The new systems will also enable existing permit holders to report permit obligations online using a new system, known as Generic Operator Returns (GOR). It has been developed in collaboration with industry to ensure it is beneficial and user-friendly to all sizes and types of operator. The software has bulk upload facilities for national companies. It auto-populates key administrative information, with intelligent pick lists to speed up user entry leaving operators to fill in only key environmental data. Because of its speed and simplicity, The Environment Agency expects that most operators will quickly choose to use the online option, either via the GOR web site or by uploading a special GOR Excel returns spreadsheet.

User friendly, simple to use 'Waste Tonnage Return Form'.

Key environemental data ie easily accessible such as 'Waste received on site'.

Operators not using the GOR return spreadsheet will still be able to email their non-GOR return spreadsheet to national-operator-returns@environment-agency.gov.uk or post their returns to the new centralised address: The National Operator Returns Team, Customer Contact Centre, The Environment Agency, Quadrant Two, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield S9 4WF.

A common approach
This new system makes compliance easier and will reduce operators’ administrative burden with a common reporting platform. The Environment Agency’s new centralised team in Sheffield will handle all returns, and operators now need to send their data here, rather than to their local area office.

For the waste industry these changes will enable the Environment Agency to track and analyse waste far more accurately. Much of the data it gathers and analyses will be made available to business as part of the national waste information sets published on its website. The Environment Agency expects to move to quarterly information on the types and tonnages of waste disposed of at their licensed facilities. This will enable it to release national waste data statistics more quickly in line with the DEFRA National Waste Data Strategy.

At a time of great change in the waste industry reliable data is crucial to inform investment decisions for new infrastructure that is required to recover valuable resources from our discarded raw materials. GOR is just the first step in this process. The Environment Agency is also working to streamline regulatory obligations and at the same time map waste flows across England and Wales. A pilot electronic duty of care (Edoc) system is now in operation with waste companies in the South East that will take out business costs, provide real time data to customers on waste movements and allow “data mining” to build up information on national and regional flows of discarded raw materials.

Further information and assistance
You can apply online by clicking here.

If you would like more information about online services please contact the Environment Agency’s national customer contact centre who will be happy to help you with all your enquiries, from guidance on what you need to do to providing support from our Helpdesk team to guide you through your first online entry.

You can email any questions to enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk (do not use for reporting environmental incidents).