Paper transfer notes to go

Electronic waste transfer notes could start to replace the current paper version by 2012 according to the Environment Agency.  Currently, some 25 million paper transfer notes are produced every year.

The Environment Agency says that businesses will be able to use an electronic system for signing and storing waste transfer notes.

These are expected to still provide details of the waste, its quantity and to whom it has been handed.

In July this year, the Agency announced a plan to establish a “national, internet-based system” for notes, after receiving a £1.7m grant from the European Union’s LIFE fund. A system was trialled in the southeast last year.

It is expected that 72% of waste transfer notes will be electronic by 2015, substantially reducing the storage burden on waste producers, carriers and those that receive waste for treatment or disposal.

In  the meantime, scanning and storing indexed electronic copies of completed waste transfer notes is a great way to ensure that consignments of waste are easily retrievable.