If the UK is to move towards a circular resource use model, we need a comprehensive understanding of the materials that flow through our economy. Sound data on individual waste materials being produced, and what is happening to it, is required to make a clear case for policy to happen in this area.
Better data will help both the existing waste and manufacturing sectors, and importantly the entrepreneurs and technologists looking to extract value from less common waste streams.
Improved data on waste arisings and movements would also help tackle waste crime, which according to the Environmental Services Association report “Tackling Britain’s Dirty Secret” is costing the UK upwards of £500 million a year.
Improving the control of waste would help limit the potential for fly-tipping and illegal exports, and would help businesses monitor their waste materials and help encourage increased recycling.
Private sector focus
Much as WasteDataFlow transformed the way that municipal datasets are managed, there have been numerous calls for a similar system for commercial and industrial waste. But as with many initiatives, what works in the public sector is notoriously trickier to implement in the private sector.
Businesses are deterred from openly reporting waste arisings because of commercial confidentiality and a fear of publicly damaging corporate reputations. Internally though, many companies are recognising the financial benefits of reducing waste.
For example, IT-based systems are being introduced into manufacturing processes to help track resource use. Telemetry and cloud-based software are enabling business managers to understand exactly how much waste is being produced on their sites. With knowledge comes power, and so operations managers are able to pinpoint why and where waste is produced, and find solutions to reduce excesses or recycle more.
A centralised system
On a company-by-company basis, waste data is improving – yet there is still no mandatory requirement to report waste figures to a centralised body. Without this, waste management companies, the manufacturing sector and others working towards developing a circular economy in and beyond government will struggle to make the progress they say is needed.
The waste transfer note system was propelled into the 21st century last year with the launch of eDoc. Initially developed by the Environment Agency and now owned by Defra and the devolved governments, the electronic duty of care system provides – for the first time – an opportunity to collect a comprehensive dataset on business waste.
The eDoc initiative will improve quality of information and help identify opportunities to exploit the value in materials, and importantly plan future investments. Yet use of the electronic system is still voluntary, preventing its full value from being realised.
To appreciate the scale of the problem, last year UK businesses generated an estimated 23 million waste transfer notes and stored approximately 50 million. Yet more than a year since the launch of the eDoc system the number of businesses using it is still in the low thousands, meaning the vast majority of business waste is still being recorded in a disparate paper-based system that is not fit for purpose.
Infrastructure
While steps are being made in the right direction, stakeholders are calling out for a clear commitment to improving waste data. The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee report “Growing a circular economy: Ending the throwaway society” found that “a lack of detailed information about waste materials is a significant barrier to companies making informed decisions about where to prioritise investments and to be able to match end-of-life materials with markets.”
In its contribution to the study, EEF told the Committee that “poor data is increasingly being cited by the waste industry as the key reason for under-investment in treatment facilities because it makes it unduly difficult for financiers to undertake due diligence.”
A more resourceful future will surely depend on accurate, quantitative assessments of resource flows. For the right infrastructure to be developed (not too little… not too much) we really need to understand with greater accuracy how much capacity is needed, rather than the current qualitative “best guess” approach.
The growing use of online systems for measuring, tracking and assessing waste will certainly help the UK move towards a circular economy, and the sooner we adopt a more modern approach, the better for everyone.
For the latest updates on waste data initiatives and approaches, visit RWM on 15-17 September where government, regulators and businesses will discuss this and many other important issues for the resource management sector.
For more information about the show visit www.rwmexhibition.com or call 0203 033 2049 or email info@rwmexhibition.com.
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