The UK is committed to moving towards a more circular economy, extracting maximum value from resources by keeping them in use for as long as possible, minimising waste and promoting resource efficiency.
To help towards this overall aim there are a variety of policy developments taking place including two new consultations recently launched by Defra: the introduction of a mandatory digital waste tracking; and reforming the waste carrier, broker, dealer registration system in England. The consultations close on 15th April and are set to impact waste companies; this includes waste carriers transporting waste; brokers arranging for waste to be handled, transported, disposed of or recovered; and dealers taking waste from businesses to sell on.
Mandatory Digital Waste Tracking
Over 200 million tonnes of waste produced in the UK each year alone and while legislation relating to the transport, management and description of said waste has been introduced individually over the past few decades, there is no single comprehensive way of tracking the waste.
While some data is collected in a variety of formats from paper-based methods to digital systems, it is not mandatory and Defra have stated that take up is very low. As a result, it is difficult to determine whether waste has been recycled, recovered or disposed of.
The Government are committed to joining the fragmented tracking systems by replacing paper-based record keeping making it less cumbersome of a task, all the while developing a full picture of our waste streams.
Reform of the Waste Carrier, Broker, Dealer (CBD) Registration System in England
The current carriers, brokers and dealers (CBD) regime requires any person or business that transports waste, buys and sells waste, or arranges transportation of waste to be registered with the Environment Agency (EA) as a waste carrier, broker or dealer.
In the Resources and Waste Strategy released in 2018 the Government set out a commitment to improve the transport, management, and description of waste. Since this commitment they have worked with the regulators to build on proposals from industry. The reforms focus on ensuring that only ‘appropriate people are in control of waste’.
The consultation seeks views on moving from a registration to a permit-base system covering the levels of permits available, activities to be included under the permits as well as what should be covered by exemptions and the introduction of a technical competence element required for permits.
The consultations are open for responses until 15th April 2022. Our team here at the Wastepack Group will be responding to each of the consultations accordingly.
