OperatorsIf withyou are an environmentaloperator permitwith mustan completeenvironmental wastepermit, returnsyou tomust tell the Environment Agency about the waste theyyou have received or removed from theiryour site. This is known as a waste tonnage return.

From April 2019, operatorsif withyou have a permit authorisingthat authorises waste activitiesactivities, you must also include details about the technically competent manager at theiryour site.

The Environment Agency uses this information to:

• to monitor a site’s compliance with its environmental permit conditions
• and collect national statistics about waste

waste.

Types of waste to include in your waste tonnage return

Your waste tonnage return should include the waste received and removed under your permit,permit. includingThis includes waste transfer and treatment processes.processes, Forfor example,example any interceptor or sealed drainage waste that is created as part of your process.

IfDo younot haveinclude notthe formallyfollowing acceptedon waste,your orwaste iftonnage return:

• waste you have not formally accepted
• quarantined waste and relocated it to another site, do not include this waste on your waste return.

  Do not include site

• other waste from your site which is not produced as part of your permitted activities,activities

For such as canteen waste, office waste or carpark interceptor waste.waste, Followfollow the rules on disposing of of business or commercial waste and  and hazardous waste.

Report the correct waste code

You must report the correct waste codes for this.your site. Your permit lists the European Waste Catalogue (EWC) codes your site can accept.

DeadlinesSubmit foryour submitting waste returnstonnage return on time

Quarterly returns submission windows

QuartersQuarter or period	DeadlineSubmission for returnwindows
1 January to 31 March	1 to 30 April
1 April to 30 June	1 to 31 July
1 July to 30 September	1 to 31 October
1 October to 31 December	1 to 31 January

Yearly returns submission window

AnnualYearly return period	DeadlineSubmission for returnwindow
1 January to 31 December	1 to 31 January of the following year

Yearly returns are only for permits with annual reporting frequency.

How to complete your waste return

Spreadsheet

You formust emaildownload returns

Filland inuse the waste returnstonnage spreadsheetreturn forform emailto returns.submit your waste return.

You maymust needuse tothis zipform largefor filessubmitting sowaste thattonnage youreturns, can email them successfully.including:

Email national-operator-returns@environment-agency.gov.uk:

• tocurrent submitperiod yoursubmissions
• late spreadsheetreturns
• ifresubmissions
• returns youfor haveolder anyreporting problems emailing your returnperiods

Paper form

Report

How to submit the correctwaste tonnage return form

You must:

1. Download the waste codestonnage forreturn form to your site device.

2. YourComplete permitand hassave athe listform ofin the Europeanoriginal WasteExcel Cataloguefile (EWC)format codesto your sitedevice.

3. Attach canthe accept.completed Excel form to an email and send it to national-operator-returns@environment-agency.gov.uk.

SeeYou need to use Microsoft Excel to complete the wasteform. classificationThe technicalform guidancewill fornot morework information.

Disposalcorrectly andif recoveryyou (Duse andGoogle R)Sheets codes

or Apple Numbers to complete the form. The Environment Agency does not accept other file formats.

SeeYou themust listsubmit ofa Dreturn andfor Reach codesreporting inperiod Annexesunless 1your andpermit 2has ofbeen thefully Directivesurrendered. ofA ‘Nil return’ will be automatically generated within the wasteform andif repealingno certaintonnage Directives.is received or removed.

Privacy

TheFor nationalfull operatorinstructions wasteon returnshow privacyto noticecomplete explains:the form, see the ‘How to fill in this form’ page within the downloaded form. This includes:

• whatstep databy westep needguidance
• accepted toand collectrejected file formats
• whathow weto douse withand manage the datadropdown lists
• mandatory field requirements
• how longbuilt‑in wevalidation holdchecks will check the dataform is complete and correct before submission

If you need help or an alternative format

Contact the Environment Agency if you:

• yourhave rightsany issues with the form
• need advice
• need an alternative format

Call 03708 506 506 (see call charges) or email national-operator-returns@environment-agency.gov.uk.