From 1 July 2021, drivers and transporters of reportable priority waste must let EPA know every time it changes hands.

EPA’s new waste tracking system, Waste Tracker, helps drivers and transporters comply with this new responsibility. Waste Tracker replaces EPA’s former electronic waste transport certificate system.

Transporters must ensure all drivers are trained

All transport companies must ensure that drivers transporting reportable priority waste have undertaken EPA approved driver training. Transporters can use any training course that achieves the learning outcomes and competencies listed within Requirements for EPA Approved Driver Training Courses

About Waste Tracker for drivers and transporters

If you’re a driver or transporter, you must enter the details of each load you pick up into Waste Tracker. This includes details such as when you collect and drop off waste.

In Waste Tracker, you can:

Getting set up in Waste Tracker is a six-step process

Drivers can only see the records that are allocated to them by the transport company. Transporters provide exclusive access by inviting a driver to connect  in Waste Tracker.

Transporters can also remove a connection to a driver. You may wish to do this if a driver is no longer working for you. If you remove a driver, they can no longer transport waste on your behalf. You’ll need to reassign active jobs to other drivers.

Transporters must record information in Waste Tracker

Transporters can create records on behalf of a producer if they are authorised by the producer to do so. They can do this by using the information about the waste that the producer has provided to them. If a transporter creates a record on behalf of a producer, they can email a copy of the waste record to the producer.

Transporters must record the details of the driver they have assigned to transport the waste. It’s possible to change a driver once they have been assigned. Learn how to change a driver.

Transporters can choose another receiver other than the one chosen by the producer. Any changes to the receival site are recorded in Waste Tracker.  Under new laws, reportable priority waste must go to a lawful place.

Driver guidance

Drivers must have a portal account to connect with transporters they work for. A transporter will invite you to link up with them via email, which will direct you to sign up for a portal account.

Once a driver has accepted an invitation from the transporter, they are connected in Waste Tracker. Drivers can connect to multiple transport businesses. Learn how to accept an invitation.

Once linked, the transporter can assign waste records for pickup to a driver.

Drivers need a mobile device to use Waste Tracker

Drivers must have a mobile device with internet connection to work in Waste Tracker. This is because the GPS in the Waste Tracker mobile app records your location information at pickup and drop-off.

The app can store information when there is no internet connection. When the connection is restored, the information syncs and uploads.

Multiple drivers can share the same device but they need to log in to Waste Tracker using their own login details.

How drivers use Waste Tracker

Drivers must use Waste Tracker at both pickup and drop-off. They must also understand what the waste they’re picking up is, where it’s going and ensure it gets to a lawful place.

To do this, sign into Waste Tracker, either through EPA’s portal or the Waste Tracker mobile app. Once signed in, you can enter or search for the waste record number.

Enter the following details for each waste record at pickup:

  • the vehicle being used to transport the waste
  • vehicle registration number
  • trailer registration number (if applicable); note – you may need to enter the vehicle identification number (VIN), the permission ID and other vehicle details
  • waste details
  • amount of waste
  • package type
  • any discrepancies from what’s detailed in the waste record.

At drop-off, in real time, you can confirm delivery status and drop-off details.

EPA takes driver safety seriously and expects that drivers will comply with the law and only use their devices when the vehicle is parked.

Drivers can also use their radio to call in the pick-up and drop-off information.

Multiple collection loads

Waste Tracker has features to help drivers who pick up multiple collections of the same waste type in a single load. These loads are sometimes called ‘milk runs’.

A separate waste record is created by or on behalf of the waste producer for each individual collection in the load. These can then be grouped together by the transporter to efficiently allocate work to drivers. The driver must verify the amount and type of waste at each collection.

Other Waste Tracker functionality for multiple collection loads includes:

  • add or remove records to a grouped record
  • assign a grouped record to a driver
  • driver enters their vehicle information once for the grouped waste load
  • pick up waste within a grouped record
  • reject records   – either single records from a group or the entire group
  • unload the entire group in one action. Drivers do not need to choose each record to drop them off
  • receive the entire group in one action.

The accredited agent role will not exist after 1 July. You don’t need to be an accredited consigner to pick up multiple collections in a single load.

Users performing multiple roles

If you perform multiple roles, you must do each of these in Waste Tracker, separately. For example, if you’re both a producer and a transporter you must go through both steps in the process. This means you would create the waste record and then assign yourself as the transporter. You’ll then need to assign the driver.

Learn how to start using Waste Tracker.

Useful guides for drivers and transporters

Transporters using Waste Tracker

Invite a driver to connect

Cancel driver invitations

Remove a driver connection

Assign a waste record to a driver

Change assigned driver

Remove a driver assigned to waste record

Reject waste

Add a waste record to a group

Create and assign a grouped waste record

Remove a waste record from a group

View a grouped waste record

Drivers using Waste Tracker

Pick up waste

Drop-off waste

Reject an assignment

Accept an invitation

Reject a waste record

Pick up grouped waste

Assign a vehicle to pick up grouped waste

Edit vehicle details in a grouped waste record

Reject a group waste assignment

Drop-off grouped waste

Self-assign waste records

Drivers using Waste Tracker app

Drop-off grouped waste

Reject a waste record

Reject grouped waste

Assign a vehicle to pick up grouped waste

Drop-off waste

Pick up waste

Assign a vehicle

Self-assign waste records

All roles

How to create a waste record

How to email a waste record

How to navigate between dashboards

How to edit or cancel a waste record

How to clone a waste record

How to extract waste tracker data

What to do if Waste Tracker isn't working

Reviewed 11 April 2023