The aim of this strategy is to identify and deliver Scotland’s current and future waste data needs.
Waste data is essential for knowing what waste is produced in Scotland, and how and where it is managed. As Scotland moves towards a more circular economy – where products and materials are kept in high value use for as long as possible – this latest waste data strategy outlines five priority actions being taken to improve our understanding of how products and materials flow through our economy.
Scotland’s latest strategy for improving waste data aims to deliver more reliable, timely and relevant waste data for Scotland and help improve our understanding of how waste materials flow through the economy. This will be achieved by streamlining systems and processes, embracing digital solutions and adopting strong partnership working.
Waste data strategy (PDF) - published October 2017, Version 1.0
https://youtu.be/T8MgNVVmgi8 (YouTube)
Waste data strategy action plan (Excel) - published November 2018, Version 1.0
Implementation and management of the waste data strategy is overseen by a project board which is made up of representatives from The Scottish Government, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Zero Waste Scotland and the Resource Management Association Scotland (RMAS) Technical and Innovation Group.
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Waste data practitioners’ meeting: 4th June 2024 |
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The waste data strategy delivery board hosted a sixth waste data practitioners’ event on 4th June 2024, which was held online. Over 50 people joined the event and heard updates on the Circular Economy & Waste Routemap and the Circular Economy Bill, the Integrated Authorisation Framework delivered through the Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulations 2018, and changes to sampling and reporting at material facilities. The event also provided updates on the digital waste tracking service, the Scottish Waste Environmental Footprint Tool (SWEFT) and forthcoming waste data publications. Presentations from the event are given below.
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Waste data practitioners’ meeting: 10th February 2022 The waste data strategy delivery board hosted a fifth waste data practitioners' event on 10th February 2022, which was held online. Over 50 people joined the event and heard updates on strategy actions and an update on digital waste tracking. The event also provided the opportunity to learn about SWEFT (the Scottish Waste Environmental Footprint Tool) and PAS402 certification. Presentations from the event are given below. |
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Waste data practitioners’ meeting: 25th February 2021 The waste data strategy delivery board hosted a fourth waste data practitioners' event on 25th February 2021, which was held online for the first time. Over 20 people joined the event and heard updates on strategy actions from Zero Waste Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and an update on the Data Commons Project from researchers at the University of Stirling. Presentations from the event are given below. |
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Waste data practitioners’ workshop: 12th February 2020 The waste data strategy delivery board hosted a third waste data practitioners' workshop in Perth on 12th February 2020. Over 40 different waste data practitioners from across Scotland attended to hear updates on the strategy’s action plan, take part in workshops on waste tracking and open waste data in Scotland, hear about data projects of interest and network with colleagues in the industry. Materials from the day are given below. |
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Special Waste Consignment Workshops: 21st and 22nd January 2020 SEPA held three half-day workshops in Stirling on January 21st and 22nd for producers, consignors, carriers and brokers to learn how to fill out a special waste consignment note properly. Over 100 people attended over the two days to hear why we need reliable data on special waste and how to complete the notes properly to achieve this. Materials from the day are given below. |
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SWCN workshop: Agenda and slides from the day Scenarios 1 and 2:
Scenario answers: |
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Waste data practitioners’ group: 30 January 2019 The second waste data practitioners' workshop was held in Perth on 30th January 2019. Over 60 different waste data practitioners from across Scotland attended to hear updates on the strategy’s action plan and take part in a workshop on waste tracking. |
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Waste data practitioners’ group: 24 November 2017 The first waste data practitioners workshop was held in Edinburgh on 24th November 2017. Over 20 different waste data practitioners from across Scotland worked in small focus groups to discuss what needed to be done to achieve the five strategy actions. The outcomes were used to help develop an action plan to implement the waste data strategy. |
Case studies of how waste data has been used to inform the management of waste and materials and increase our understanding of the economic, environmental and social impacts of waste.
National waste data is regularly reported to the Scottish Government. This data, from household, commercial and industrial sources, provides information on what waste is produced in Scotland and how and where it is managed.
Extracts of this information are shown on the waste and resources page and the full data analysis is available in the Discover tools for waste from all sources, for household waste, and recyclate quality. There is also waste management site level information in the waste sites and capacity tool.
The following guidance and tools are available for local authorities who are required to submit data via the online reporting system called WasteDataFlow:
The following guidance is available for operators of waste management sites and exempt activities who are required to submit waste data returns to SEPA:
This page was updated on 12 Jun 2024
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