Online waste tracking
Waste tracking helps stamp out illegal dumping, prevents waste going to the wrong facility and stops unfair competition.
The following information will help you understand your responsibilities and determine what you need to do to comply with tracking waste.
Types of waste that must be tracked
The types of waste that must be tracked are listed in Schedule 1 of the Environment Protection Act 1993. For more information see the fact sheets, Characterising your waste and Waste that must be tracked.
Online tracking system
The EPA online tracking system provides a method of meeting your obligations of waste tracking requirements. Online tracking helps reduce the burden of paperwork on businesses, and makes enforcement and compliance easier. For example, businesses tracking waste movements online are not required to submit paper forms, as the EPA can automatically collate the required data.
Most notifications required can be done online using the EPA online tracking system.
The EPA online tracking system can be used for waste transported within SA or into SA from other states or territories.
Find out more about the online tracking system.
Penalties for non-compliance
Failure to comply with a licence condition is a breach of section 45(5) of the Environment Protection Act 1993. This may result in the EPA taking regulatory action against the licensee for contravening a condition of an environmental authorisation (maximum penalty $120,000).
There are significant penalties for those caught illegally dumping waste. For individuals, penalties can be as high as $500,000 or 4 years imprisonment. For a corporate body the penalty can be as high as $2 million.
Waste producers or transporters who dispose of waste illegally could be fined up to $120,000 and face up to two years imprisonment and corporations face fines of up to $250,000, under clause 10 of the Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy 2010. Poor operators could even have their EPA licence revoked.
It is an offence to provide false or misleading information and can result in a maximum fine of $60,000.
Who can use the EPA online tracking system?
If you are a waste producer, waste transporter or receiving facility involved in the movement of waste which is being tracked and wish to use the EPA online tracking system, you must obtain a user name and password from the EPA. Your user privileges in the system depend on your access level.
To obtain access to the online waste tracking system, submit a user application form.
Advantages of online waste tracking
Use of the EPA online tracking system is not compulsory, but there are a number of advantages for users:
- A single waste transport certificate printed from the online system is the only tracking documentation needed to accompany waste when it is being transported in SA.
- The progress of waste being tracked can be viewed on the online system, overcoming the need for phones calls and faxes to confirm that the waste has arrived at, and is being processed by, the receiving facility.
- Creation of accurate consignment authorisations and waste transport certificates is easier as most data required is selected from drop-down lists.
- For regular shipments of waste, waste transport certificates are easy to create because most of the required information is stored in the system.
- Users of the online waste tracking are not required to submit separate paper forms to the EPA.
Privacy, security and availability
Data supplied electronically is protected from unauthorised access. Users need a user name and password to access the system and need to be authorised to view and/or edit data.
Data supplied electronically to the EPA is accessible only to the relevant users and the EPA officers. There is no opportunity for users to view data on consignment authorisations or waste transport certificates in which they do not have a role.
Data collected through waste tracking is aggregated and trends reported publicly in State of the Environment reports and other relevant waste publications.
What can I do if I don't have internet access?
Waste producers and waste transporters who do not have internet access are still able to have their waste movements tracked online provided that the receiving facility is using the online tracking system. The receiving facility can enter all the necessary information into the system and generate the printed waste transport certificate that must accompany the waste while it is being transported.
What happens if the online tracking system is not available?
If internet access is not available when waste is picked up, the pick-up details can be recorded by hand on the waste transport certificate and entered into the online system by the receiving facility when the waste arrives at the facility.
If online waste tracking is not available when a consignment authorisation or waste transport certificate needs to be created or updated, the actions taken can be recorded on paper and entered into the system later.
