This week on Rubbish Talk, Alasdair is joined by Katie Morrison, founder of What Waste Code, to discuss waste classification, compliance, digital innovation, and making it easier for businesses to find the right recycling and disposal routes.

Drawing on her experience as a former Environment Agency officer, compliance manager and waste consultant, Katie shares how her career has taken her from investigating waste crime to developing a platform designed to simplify one of the industry's biggest day-to-day challenges: finding legally compliant facilities for different waste streams.

The conversation explores the story behind What Waste Code, an online platform that allows waste producers to search for facilities by waste description or EWC code while helping operators showcase exactly which waste streams they can accept. Katie explains why existing systems can often be difficult to navigate and how a simpler, more user-friendly approach can save time while improving compliance.

Alasdair and Katie also take a fascinating deep dive into European Waste Catalogue (EWC) codes, discussing how they are structured, why they remain essential to the waste industry, and some of the frustrations surrounding waste descriptions that don't always reflect the terminology used by operators on the ground.

The discussion also covers Digital Waste Tracking, with Katie sharing her thoughts on how the new system could improve traceability and reduce paperwork while recognising the challenges smaller businesses may face during implementation. Together they explore hazardous waste, producer responsibility, and the importance of making compliance easier rather than more complicated.

Katie also reflects on her time working with End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) sites, highlighting the progress the sector has made in depollution and environmental compliance, alongside the ongoing challenges presented by electric vehicles and changing legislation.

Looking ahead, Katie believes technology has a major role to play in improving waste management, making compliance more accessible, and helping businesses see waste as a valuable resource rather than simply something to dispose of.

An insightful conversation covering waste classification, compliance, digital innovation, hazardous waste and the future of smarter waste management.

Useful Links:

What Waste Code | Website

Katie Morrison | LinkedIn