v0.1.0

OpenWaste

An open protocol for waste movement data exchange

A standard API specification that enables any software in the UK waste and construction industry to exchange waste movement data. DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking is one endpoint — not the whole story.

View API SpecGitHub

The Problem

01

Every software vendor in waste management is building proprietary DWT integrations. Duplicated effort, incompatible outputs.

02

The contractor's system doesn't talk to the carrier's system doesn't talk to the receiving site's system. Every boundary is a wall.

03

Data quality degrades at every manual handoff between systems. Re-keying introduces errors that cascade downstream.

04

Paper tickets, emailed PDFs, and phone calls remain the lingua franca of the UK waste industry.

The Solution

A shared language for waste data. Not a product — a protocol.

Open API specification

Any vendor can implement it. No vendor lock-in, no proprietary formats.

Canonical data model

A single representation for waste movements covering the full chain of custody.

DWT as a first-class endpoint

DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking is built into the protocol, not bolted on as an afterthought.

Universal interoperability

Any system speaking OpenWaste can exchange data with any other system in the industry.

Any software  <-->  OpenWaste protocol  <-->  Any software
                          |
                       DEFRA DWT

How It Works

A movement flows through the protocol as its real-world status changes.

1

Producer creates a movement record

draft

Waste details, EWC codes, quantities, and carrier information are captured in a structured OpenWaste record.

2

Carrier confirms collection

in_transit

The carrier's system receives the record, confirms pickup, and the movement transitions to in_transit.

3

Receiver confirms receipt

received

The receiving site logs actual weights (e.g., from their weighbridge), verifies waste descriptions, and confirms receipt.

4

DWT submission happens automatically

filed

The protocol's DWT bridge maps the OpenWaste record to DEFRA's API schema and submits it. No manual re-keying required.

5

All parties see the same data

complete

Real-time webhooks notify every party of status changes. One source of truth, visible to everyone in the chain.

Who Benefits

Waste Producers

Create movement records once, data flows to everyone. No more filling in the same information on three different systems.

Carriers

Verified registration, digital movement records replace paper. Drivers scan, confirm, and move on.

Receiving Sites

Structured data for DWT filing, no more deciphering handwritten waste transfer notes. Weighbridge data flows straight through.

Software Vendors

Integrate once with OpenWaste, connect to the entire industry. No more building bespoke integrations for every counterparty.

The Data Model

A canonical representation of a waste movement — the DWT fields plus everything needed for commercial data exchange.

Movement
├── movementId          UUID
├── status              draft | confirmed | in_transit | received | filed
├── producer            Organisation details + address
├── carrier             Registration number + vehicle + transport means
├── receiver            Authorisation number + site details
├── broker              Optional intermediary details
│
├── wasteItems[]
│   ├── ewcCode         6-digit European Waste Catalogue code
│   ├── description     Free text description
│   ├── physicalForm    Gas | Liquid | Solid | Powder | Sludge | Mixed
│   ├── weight          Gross, tare, net (value + unit)
│   ├── hazardous       Boolean + HP codes + chemical components
│   └── containsPops    Persistent organic pollutants
│
├── references
│   ├── ticketNumber    Waste transfer note number
│   ├── orderReference  Client purchase order
│   └── otherReferences Label + value pairs
│
├── compliance
│   ├── dwtMovementId   Populated after DEFRA submission
│   └── dwtStatus       pending | submitted | failed
│
└── signatures[]
    ├── party           producer | carrier | receiver | broker
    ├── action          created | confirmed | received | amended
    └── timestamp       ISO 8601

Get Involved

OpenWaste is open source. We are looking for early adopters — weighbridge software vendors, fleet management platforms, waste management systems, and environmental consultancies.

If your software touches waste data, there is a place for you in this protocol.

API SpecificationGitHubContact Us