Find out if your web-based portal is suitable for sharing environmental data.
Some businesses have asked if they can share their environmental data with us via their own systems.
We want to increase the value of the data and information we receive from operators and reduce administrative burden on operators.
We carried out a national trial of the Viridor 'Open Space' data sharing portal for remote compliance assessment of their landfill sites. This was successful, resulting in improved efficiencies, effectiveness and relationships for both parties.
We are now keen to extend this approach to other companies and operators so that we can trial their portals and assess whether they meet the criteria set out below and achieve the same or better results. If they do, then we will make a formal agreement to use their portal.
There are many benefits from having a portal, for example:
- easy access to on-line high quality data
- more effective working relationships
- the ability to anticipate and resolve issues
- the ability to improve environmental performance of sites
- better performance will prevent increased charges and could even reduce them
If you collect and use environmental data using your own systems, we would like to give you the opportunity to use your web-based portal to share data.
Find out if your system satisfies our standards and criteria.
What data do we need
If you are the operator of an environmental permit you must periodically send us data and information.
We ask for strategic data and information, for example, emission levels and for tactical data and information, for example, operational/environmental management data.
We use this information to monitor your site's compliance with the conditions of your permit and for national waste statistics.
We still need this data and won’t alter the conditions of your permit unless we agree in writing that less data is required.
Once we have set up an agreement with you, then you will only have to send us this data and information once per year. We will look at or download data as we need it throughout the year.
You will still need to notify us immediately of any breaches of your permit conditions as your permit requires.
Criteria you must meet
Provided your portal meets the following criteria we will not normally enforce permit conditions requiring data returns for these sites:
- your data and information are available to us for inspection and download without charge through the portal
- the data portal must give us access as a minimum to the data and information that are required by your permit conditions unless we agreed in writing to have access to less data and information, and the data and information must be available at the same time that they would be required under the permit condition
- the data portal provides the data and information to us to download directly into our systems without charge, in the report format required in the permit conditions or as agreed in writing
- you maintain the accuracy, quality, security and confidentiality of the data and information you keep in this portal
- you have arranged and maintain access to the data portal with our designated officers regulating these sites, including any changes that need to be made if the designated officer changes
- your environmental data management software is certified against our MCERTS performance standards and test procedures
Access to your data
Once we make an agreement with you then you will voluntarily be giving us access to the environmental data required by the permits for your sites via your data sharing portal.
The public will be able to access your data either on request or through our public registers. We may agree the data or information is confidential. Even where we have agreed the data or information is confidential, if we receive a request for it, for example, from members of the public we may still need to disclose it under the Freedom of Information Act or the Environmental Information Regulations.
We may also have to disclose it to a third party if required to do so by other legislation.
We will use the data and information in accordance with the licence for its use set out in the agreement.
Current portal agreements
Viridor Waste Management Limited
Peninsula House
Rydon Lane
Exeter EX2 7HR
Name of data portal: Open Space
Date of agreement: 3 September 2012
Contact us
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