The service has been designed to make online registration ‘quicker, easier and more efficient’ according the Agency, and is encouraging business owners, landowners and farmers to sign up.
Operators which handle small quantities of waste or ‘low-risk’ wastes such as agricultural materials, tyres or sludges are able to apply for a free waste exemption if they meet limits and conditions – rather than pay an annual fee for an environmental permit.
An exemption lasts for up to three years. As many exemptions are due to expire in October, the digital service has replaced the former paper and e-form options, as waste exemptions moved to being ‘digital by default’ to make the process easier for farmers and other businesses.
Registration
The Environment Agency explains that ‘radical changes’ have been made to make registering online easier, following consultation with those submitting exemptions.
After a period of user-testing, improvements made to the registration process include:
- A new design to make the service simpler and more intuitive to use;
- The ability to access the service from more browsers and devices, including smartphones and tablets, and;
- Increased accessibility to those with special user needs, including voice-activated software.
Feedback will be collected from those using the ‘live’ online waste registration service to ensure it continues to be developed in a way that meets the needs of businesses which qualify to use waste exemptions.
Nicky Cunningham, deputy director of site-based regulation at the Environment Agency, said: “As we get ready to receive thousands of waste exemption registrations this summer, we are recommending farmers, landowners and businesses submit online using our improved easy-to-use service.
“We’ve gathered feedback from those registering exemptions to ensure the process is now simpler and more intuitive than ever before.”
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