Hand-helds and downloads: total visibility of waste at last Technology to aid businesses and the environment
In a new initiative by the Environment Agency, technology is being trialled which should revolutionise the recording and monitoring of waste transfers. It is likely to save businesses significant amounts of time and money, and help the environment by identifying more waste streams for recycling.
The Electronic Duty of Care (eDOC) programme uses hand-held devices which drivers use to record details of waste shipments, including electronic signatures and photographs. Data is transmitted to web-based servers, and loads can be tracked in real-time through built-in GPS.
Access to data is controlled, visible as appropriate to producers, carriers, the Environment Agency, local authorities, recyclers and disposers.
Codegate, based in Oxfordshire, supplies the hardware and software. It has developed and configured the software extensively for this application, including the facility for carriers using other waste tracking systems to integrate their data with eDOC.
A New Innovative Approach
Although similar systems are already in use by some sectors, eDOC represents a significant step-change for waste – and for businesses.
Currently at each stage of waste’s journey, from business to carrier to recycler or
disposer, a waste transfer note (WTN) must be manually produced. An estimated 23 million WTNs are completed each year across the UK, each of which must legally be kept for a minimum of two years under Duty of Care.
Not only does this generate vast quantities of paper and filing, it also impedes detailed analysis of waste streams, their final destination and opportunities to reduce volumes.
Paul Keay, the Environment Agency’s programme manager, is leading the trials. ‘eDOC will help everyone involved with waste – logistically and financially – as well as helping the environment’, he says. ‘With support from retailers, carriers and other businesses it will enable us to identify more opportunities to minimise waste and divert more from landfill.’
The Co-operative Group is among the first retailers to pilot the system and its initial trial is scheduled this month. The ecology-conscious supermarket giant had already reviewed its waste operations extensively, particularly over the last year, before hearing about the Environment Agency project. ‘The group has a vision of streamlining the whole operation, taking our future environmental management system forward online and without the need for paper’, says environmental compliance manager Mike Furphy.
Bywaters, one of the South-East’s leading recycling and waste management
companies, is also participating in the trial. “The trial is a wonderful opportunity to be working closely with the Environment Agency to identify new recycling opportunities. The move to electronic Waste Transfer Notes will improve the qual- ity of the data we collect and enable us to keep instant track of our waste,” says Craig Gregory, Head of Customer Services.
Bywaters initially installed the mobile devices in a couple of skip vehicles. Drivers and office staff were trained in using Electronic Duty of Care. The company have been so impressed with the results that it gradually extended the trial until it now involves thirteen vehicles.
The eDOC pilot currently involves fourteen “principal users” including carriers and producers. The Environment Agency is now in a position to increase these and is inviting participation. ‘It’s in everyone’s interests for this to work as well as it possibly can’, says Keay. ‘It will make a tremendous impact on many businesses.’
If you would like to get involved in the pilot contact Paul Keay:
paul.keay@
environment-agency.gov.uk
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