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WasteDataFlow Guidance
Guidance Notes and Factsheets
Introduction
This page contains information on the data collected by WasteDataFlow and the guidance documents
to assist data entry by local authorities. To view a summary of how the data entered by Local
Authorities is used click here -
How WDF Data is used?.
WasteDataFlow went operational in April 2004, as a web based system developed for local authorities
in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to report essential information on municipal waste
collection and management. The system was developed to replace a number of the traditional municipal
waste management surveys, providing a single comprehensive data return and more frequent monitoring of
progress against Article 5 of the Landfill Directive.
England and Wales started to use the WDF system in April 2004. Northern Ireland undertook a 6 month
pilot scheme and made the transition to WDF reporting in April 2005. Scotland officially started to
report data into WDF in 2006, following a pilot quarter where local authorities were asked to complete
data returns in both WasteDataFlow and by using the old reporting return in order to compare the two
and allow for a smooth transition.
The WasteDataFlow system has been developed around a core set of questions
(Core Dataset), which has
been agreed by Defra, the Environment Agency (England & Wales), Welsh Assembly Government, DOENI and NIEA,
the Scottish Executive and SEPA with inputs from LGA, GLA, CapitalWasteFacts, WRAP, CIWM and others.
The core dataset is applicable to all Unitary Authorities (UAs), Waste Collection Authorities (WCAs) and
Waste Disposal Authorities (WDAs). It accommodates the Monitoring Authorities' mandate to monitor progress
against Article 5 of the Landfill Directive and provides information to monitor progress against national
and EU targets. The WDF system also accommodates the collection of supplementary data to provide a
comprehensive dataset on how waste is managed in the UK.
Data is required to be input to the WDF system on a quarterly basis and the timetable for submission and
validation of data for each country is provided
here. (Data Submission and Validation Timetable), Coming Soon...
Guidance Notes and Factsheets
The WasteDataFlow guidance notes and factsheets can be downloaded as Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF)
files below. If you are unable to view PDFs, a free viewer can be downloaded from the
Adobe website.
The Core Dataset and WDF System Manual are applicable to all countries. Guidance Notes specific to Wales,
Northern Ireland, Scotland and England can be access by clicking on the links below.
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Core Dataset |
WDF System Manual |
Wales Guidance |
Northern Ireland Guidance |
Scotland Guidance |
England Guidance |
Core Dataset
The Core Dataset provides details of all the questions available to complete in WDF. The questions are
listed by question type, frequency of completion, type of local authority (WCA, WDA or UA) and by country
(England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales).
WDF System Manual
You can download the WDF System Manual as a complete document or as it individual sections. This manual has been
updated in May 2011 to incorporate a number of guidance notes into one concise manual.
Wales Guidance
This area contains downloads specific for Welsh local authorities.
Northern Ireland Guidance
This area contains downloads for Northern Ireland local authorties.
Scotland Guidance
This area contains downloads for Scotland local authorities. Guidance notes are also available from SEPA.
England Guidance
To assist WDF Users in entering accurate data into WDF, a range of guidance notes have been produced. This includes
information on the following:
Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme and Mass Balance
Key guidance notes related to the landfill allowance trading scheme and the mass balance calculations
within WDF are provided below.
Guidance on reporting data on MBT
Please find below key guidance notes for reporting data into WDF when using a mechanical biological
treatment system or similar technology (WDF Qu59).
Specific Reporting Guidance
Please find below a series of guidance notes on specific aspects of data reporting in WDF. These include reference to reporting specific material
types e.g. co-mingled materials, rubble, organic waste, street sweepings and WEEE. Information on how to complete the annual data return is also included.
Recording recycling from residual waste
A number of authorities are now using treatment technologies to separate out further recycling from their
residual waste streams. To help you to report this data into WDF the following guidance notes have
been developed:
WDF Procedures
Revised Waste Framework Directive (post April 2011)
National Indicators came to an end at the end of March 2011. This means that local authorities now have no annual targets for waste reduction,
recycling and landfill diversion under the National Indicators dataset. Local authorities still have reporting obligations under the Landfill
Allowance Trading Scheme and must continue to report their data into WasteDataFlow. In relation to recycling targets, the UK as a whole still
has a target for this that falls under the requirements of the revised Waste Framework Directive. This target requires the UK to re-use and
recycle 50% (by weight) of waste (at least paper, metal, plastic and glass) from households by 2020. WasteDataFlow will be the system which is
used to collate and report performance on this UK target to Europe.
In response to the reporting requirements post April 2011, a number of queries have been received to the helpline. These queries have been
collated into a FAQs document. This document and this section of the website will be updated when further information is available.
NI Guidance
National Indicators ended in March 2011, and Defra are no longer monitoring individual LA recycling rates.
However, WDF Users will still be able to download reports based on the National Indicators from WDF, if they
wish to produce consistent local data sets over a period of years. These NI datasets will continue to be based
on the guidance which established and governed National Indicators from April 2008 – March 2011. The key guidance
documents for National Indicators are provided below.
BVPI Guidance
BVPIs ended in March 2008, and Defra are no longer monitoring individual LAs for their performance against BVPI
targets. However, WDF Users will still be able to download reports based on the BVPIs from WDF, if they wish to
produce consistent local data sets over a period of years. These BVPI datasets will continue to be based on the
guidance which established and governed BVPIs from April 2004 – March 2008. The key guidance documents to explain
how the BVPI calculations relate to WDF questions are provided below.
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