EA Waste Carriers Register Search

Search the UK Environment Agency's official Waste Carriers, Brokers, and Dealers public register. This Apify actor provides structured, programmatic access to every registered waste carrier in England -- enabling compliance checks, contractor verification, environmental due diligence, and bulk data extraction. Query by company name, registration number, or address, filter by tier classification, and receive clean JSON output ready for integration into any workflow.

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Why use EA Waste Carriers Register Search?

Verifying whether a waste management contractor holds a valid registration is a legal requirement for any business producing or handling controlled waste in England. The Environment Agency's web interface is designed for one-off manual lookups -- it offers no bulk export, no scheduling, and no API integration. If you need to verify dozens of contractors, monitor registration expiry dates, or build a compliance pipeline, the manual approach quickly becomes unsustainable.

This actor eliminates that friction entirely. It wraps the official Environment Agency open data API in a clean, configurable interface with automatic pagination, structured output, and full access to the Apify platform's scheduling, webhooks, and 100+ integrations. Whether you are a waste management compliance officer checking contractor credentials, a consultant auditing a client's supply chain, or a researcher building a dataset of the UK waste industry, this actor turns hours of manual lookups into a single automated run that completes in seconds.

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Key features

• Name search with prefix matching -- find waste carriers by company or holder name; searching "Green" matches "GreenWaste Ltd", "Green Skip Hire", and similar.
• Direct registration number lookup -- retrieve a specific registration instantly by its unique ID (e.g., CBDU375218 or CBDL109842).
• Address-based search -- locate waste carriers registered at a particular address, postcode area, or locality.
• Tier filtering -- narrow results to Upper Tier (commercial carriers) or Lower Tier (own-waste-only) registrations.
• Automatic pagination -- the actor handles pagination transparently, fetching results in batches of 100 from the underlying API.
• Up to 10,000 results per run -- configure the maximum result count to suit your needs, from a quick check to a comprehensive extraction.
• Clean structured output -- every record is normalized into a consistent schema with registration number, holder name, address, type, tier, dates, status, and direct register link.
• Real-time government data -- results come directly from the Environment Agency's live API, reflecting the current state of the register.
• No API key required -- the Environment Agency open data endpoint is free and unauthenticated; this actor handles all request formatting and error handling.
• Full Apify integration -- schedule runs, trigger webhooks, export to Google Sheets, pipe to Slack, or connect to any REST endpoint.

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How to use EA Waste Carriers Register Search

Using Apify Console

1. Go to the EA Waste Carriers Register Search actor page on the Apify Store and click Try for free.
2. Enter at least one search parameter in the input form: a company name, a registration number, or an address.
3. Optionally select a Tier Filter (Upper Tier or Lower Tier) and adjust the Maximum Results value.
4. Click Start to run the actor. The run typically completes within seconds.
5. When the run finishes, navigate to the Dataset tab to view, download (JSON, CSV, Excel, XML), or connect results to an integration.

Using the API

You can start the actor programmatically via the Apify API and retrieve results from the default dataset. See the API & Integration section below for complete code examples in Python, JavaScript, and cURL.

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Input parameters

Field	Type	Required	Default	Description
searchName	String	No	--	Company or holder name to search for. Uses prefix matching.
registrationNumber	String	No	--	Specific registration number to look up (e.g., CBDU375218).
addressSearch	String	No	--	Address text to search against registered site addresses.
tier	String	No	All	Filter by tier: upper-tier or lower-tier. Leave blank for all tiers.
maxResults	Integer	No	100	Maximum number of results to return. Range: 1 to 10,000.

At least one of searchName, registrationNumber, or addressSearch must be provided. If registrationNumber is specified, the actor performs a direct lookup and ignores the other search fields.

Example input

{
    "searchName": "Green",
    "tier": "upper-tier",
    "maxResults": 50
}

{
    "registrationNumber": "CBDU375218"
}

{
    "addressSearch": "Bristol",
    "tier": "lower-tier",
    "maxResults": 200
}

Tips for input

• Be specific with name searches -- the API uses prefix matching, so "Smith" will match hundreds of companies. Use "Smith Waste" or "Smith & Sons" for more targeted results.
• Use registration number for exact lookups -- if you have a specific CBDU or CBDL number from a contractor's documentation, this is the fastest and most precise search mode.
• Combine search with tier filter -- if you only need commercial waste carriers, set tier to upper-tier to filter out own-waste-only registrations.
• Adjust maxResults to your needs -- keep it low (10-50) for quick checks, increase it (500-10,000) for comprehensive data extraction.

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Output

Each result in the dataset is a JSON object with the following structure:

{
    "registrationNumber": "CBDU375218",
    "holderName": "GreenWaste Solutions Ltd",
    "address": "Unit 12, Riverside Industrial Park, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 9QD",
    "registrationType": "carrier_broker_dealer",
    "tier": "Upper",
    "registrationDate": "2021-06-14",
    "expiryDate": "2024-06-13",
    "applicantType": "limitedCompany",
    "status": "ACTIVE",
    "registerUrl": "https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/waste-carriers-brokers/registration/CBDU375218"
}

{
    "registrationNumber": "CBDL109842",
    "holderName": "J. Patel Plumbing Services",
    "address": "14 Church Lane, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LB",
    "registrationType": "carrier_broker_dealer",
    "tier": "Lower",
    "registrationDate": "2018-11-02",
    "expiryDate": null,
    "applicantType": "soleTrader",
    "status": "ACTIVE",
    "registerUrl": "https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/waste-carriers-brokers/registration/CBDL109842"
}

Output fields

Field	Type	Description
registrationNumber	String	Unique registration ID issued by the Environment Agency (CBDU or CBDL prefix).
holderName	String	Name of the registered company, individual, or organization.
address	String or null	Registered site address. May be null if no address is recorded.
registrationType	String or null	Type of registration (e.g., carrier_broker_dealer).
tier	String or null	Tier classification -- "Upper" or "Lower".
registrationDate	String or null	Date the registration was granted (YYYY-MM-DD format).
expiryDate	String or null	Date the registration expires. Null for Lower Tier (no expiry).
applicantType	String or null	Type of applicant (e.g., limitedCompany, soleTrader, partnership, publicBody).
status	String or null	Current registration status (e.g., ACTIVE, EXPIRED, REVOKED, PENDING).
registerUrl	String	Direct URL to the registration record on the Environment Agency register.

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Use cases

• Contractor compliance verification -- before hiring a skip hire company or waste haulage firm, confirm their waste carrier registration is valid and current.
• Supply chain due diligence -- audit all waste management contractors in your supply chain and flag any with expired or revoked registrations.
• Automated expiry monitoring -- schedule weekly runs to check registration expiry dates and receive alerts before a contractor's licence lapses.
• Environmental audit preparation -- pull a complete list of all registered waste carriers in a specific area ahead of an environmental compliance audit.
• Waste industry market research -- extract thousands of waste carrier records to analyze market size, geographic distribution, and tier composition.
• Regulatory reporting -- generate structured datasets of waste carrier registrations for inclusion in environmental compliance reports.
• Procurement due diligence -- verify that bidders on waste management contracts hold the correct tier of registration before awarding work.
• Fraud detection -- cross-reference claimed registration numbers against the official register to detect forged or fabricated waste carrier credentials.
• Local authority oversight -- councils can monitor all waste carriers registered at addresses within their jurisdiction.
• Legal and insurance verification -- solicitors and insurers can quickly confirm a party's waste carrier status as part of claims or disputes involving waste handling.

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API & Integration

Python

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR_API_TOKEN")

run_input = {
    "searchName": "Green",
    "tier": "upper-tier",
    "maxResults": 50,
}

run = client.actor("xLcN0NuQcXQVrDNHc").call(run_input=run_input)

for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(f"{item['registrationNumber']} - {item['holderName']} - {item['status']}")

JavaScript

import { ApifyClient } from "apify-client";

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: "YOUR_API_TOKEN" });

const input = {
    searchName: "Green",
    tier: "upper-tier",
    maxResults: 50,
};

const run = await client.actor("xLcN0NuQcXQVrDNHc").call(input);

const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.log(`${item.registrationNumber} - ${item.holderName} - ${item.status}`);
});

cURL

# Start the actor run
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/xLcN0NuQcXQVrDNHc/runs?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{
        "searchName": "Green",
        "tier": "upper-tier",
        "maxResults": 50
    }'

# Fetch results from the default dataset (replace DATASET_ID from the run response)
curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/datasets/DATASET_ID/items?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN&format=json"

Integrations

Connect this actor to your existing tools and workflows using Apify's built-in integrations:

• Google Sheets -- automatically append waste carrier records to a spreadsheet after each run.
• Slack -- receive notifications when a run completes or when specific conditions are met (e.g., expired registrations found).
• Webhooks -- trigger any HTTP endpoint when a run finishes, enabling custom automation pipelines.
• Amazon S3 -- store output datasets directly in an S3 bucket for long-term archival.
• Zapier / Make -- connect to thousands of apps through Zapier or Make integrations.
• GitHub / GitLab -- trigger actor runs from CI/CD pipelines for automated compliance gates.

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How it works

The actor queries the UK Environment Agency's open data API at environment.data.gov.uk using one of two modes depending on the input provided:

1. Registration number lookup -- if a registrationNumber is provided, the actor makes a single GET request to the registration endpoint and returns the matching record.
2. Search mode -- if searchName or addressSearch is provided, the actor builds a search query with the appropriate parameters (name-search, address-search, regime) and fetches results in pages of 100.
3. Pagination -- in search mode, the actor loops through paginated results using _limit and _offset parameters until the maxResults cap is reached or no more results are available.
4. Data transformation -- raw API responses use linked data objects with nested structures. The actor normalizes these into flat, readable fields -- resolving labels from objects, extracting addresses from nested site structures, and building direct register URLs.
5. Output -- cleaned records are pushed to the Apify default dataset, available for download or integration.

+---------------------+
                    |    Input Parameters  |
                    | name / regNo / addr  |
                    +----------+----------+
                               |
                    +----------v----------+
                    |  Registration Number |
                    |     provided?        |
                    +----+----------+-----+
                         |          |
                        YES         NO
                         |          |
              +----------v--+  +---v--------------+
              | Direct GET   |  | Build search URL  |
              | /reg/{id}    |  | with name, addr,  |
              |  .json       |  | tier, pagination  |
              +----------+--+  +---+--------------+
                         |         |
                         |    +----v-----------+
                         |    | Fetch page      |
                         |    | (_limit=100)    |
                         |    +----+-----------+
                         |         |
                         |    +----v-----------+
                         |    | More results &  |
                         |    | under maxResults|---YES--+
                         |    +----+-----------+        |
                         |         |                    |
                         |         NO          +--------v------+
                         |         |           | Increment      |
                         |    +----v------+    | _offset, fetch |
                         |    | Combine   |    | next page      |
                         |    | all pages |<---+----------------+
                         |    +----+------+
                         |         |
              +----------v---------v---+
              |  Transform raw items    |
              |  - Resolve linked data  |
              |  - Extract addresses    |
              |  - Build register URLs  |
              +----------+-------------+
                         |
              +----------v-------------+
              |  Push to Apify dataset  |
              +------------------------+

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Performance & cost

The actor is extremely lightweight -- it makes simple HTTP requests to the Environment Agency API with no browser rendering or heavy computation. All runs use the minimum memory allocation.

Scenario	Results	Estimated time	Estimated cost
Single registration lookup	1	~2 seconds	< $0.001
Name search (small)	50	~5 seconds	< $0.001
Name search (medium)	100	~8 seconds	~$0.001
Address search (large)	500	~30 seconds	~$0.003
Bulk extraction	1,000	~60 seconds	~$0.005
Maximum extraction	10,000	~8 minutes	~$0.04

Costs are based on Apify platform pricing using 128 MB memory allocation. The Environment Agency API itself is completely free with no rate limits or authentication required. On Apify's free plan ($5/month credit), you can run hundreds of searches per month at no cost.

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Limitations

• England only -- this actor covers the Environment Agency register for England. Scotland (SEPA), Wales (NRW), and Northern Ireland (NIEA) maintain separate waste carrier registers that are not included.
• Prefix matching only for name search -- the underlying API uses prefix matching, not full-text search. Searching "Waste" will match "Waste Solutions Ltd" but not "GreenWaste Ltd".
• No wildcard or regex search -- the API does not support wildcards, fuzzy matching, or regular expressions in search parameters.
• Address search is basic text matching -- the address search parameter matches against address text but does not support geographic radius or postcode-area queries.
• Data completeness varies -- some older registrations may have incomplete address data, missing applicant types, or null fields depending on how they were recorded in the register.
• API availability -- the actor depends on the Environment Agency's open data API being available. Government API maintenance windows or outages are outside the actor's control.
• No historical data -- the register reflects current status only. The actor does not provide historical registration changes, previous holders, or audit trails.

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Responsible use

• Public data only -- this actor accesses the Environment Agency's official public register, which is published as open data under the UK Open Government Licence. No private or restricted data is accessed.
• Respect API etiquette -- while the Environment Agency API has no published rate limits, avoid scheduling excessively frequent runs (e.g., every minute) that could place unnecessary load on government infrastructure.
• Use data for legitimate purposes -- the waste carrier register is intended for compliance verification, due diligence, and public transparency. Do not use extracted data for unsolicited marketing, harassment, or any purpose that violates applicable data protection regulations.
• Verify before acting -- while the register is the authoritative source, always confirm critical compliance decisions through official channels, especially for enforcement or legal proceedings.
• Data retention -- if you store extracted data, ensure your retention and processing practices comply with UK GDPR and any applicable data protection requirements, particularly where records relate to sole traders or individuals.

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FAQ

What is the Waste Carriers, Brokers and Dealers Register? The register is maintained by the UK Environment Agency under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. Any business or individual that transports, buys, sells, or deals in controlled waste in England must be registered. Operating without registration is a criminal offence that can result in unlimited fines. The register is publicly searchable to allow businesses and individuals to verify that their waste contractors are properly licensed.

What is the difference between Upper Tier and Lower Tier? Lower Tier registration is for businesses and organizations that only carry waste they produce themselves -- for example, a builder transporting their own construction waste to a licensed disposal site. Lower Tier registration is free and does not expire. Upper Tier registration is required for businesses that carry, broker, or deal in other people's waste commercially. It requires a registration fee and must be renewed every three years.

How do I tell if a registration number is Upper or Lower Tier? Registration numbers beginning with CBDU are Upper Tier registrations. Those beginning with CBDL are Lower Tier registrations. The actor also returns the tier classification as a separate field in the output.

Does this actor require an API key or authentication? No. The Environment Agency's open data API is free, public, and requires no authentication. The actor handles all request formatting, pagination, and error handling automatically.

How current is the data returned by this actor? The actor queries the Environment Agency's live API in real time. Results reflect the current state of the register at the moment the actor runs. There is no caching or delay.

Can I search for waste carriers in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? No. This actor covers the Environment Agency register for England only. Scotland's waste carrier register is maintained by SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency), Wales by NRW (Natural Resources Wales), and Northern Ireland by NIEA (Northern Ireland Environment Agency). These are separate systems with different APIs.

What happens if I search for a registration number that does not exist? The actor will log a warning that the registration number was not found and return an empty dataset. It will not produce an error.

Can I search by postcode? You can enter a postcode in the addressSearch field and it will match against registered addresses that contain that postcode text. However, this is simple text matching -- it does not perform geographic or radius-based searches.

What does the status field mean? The status field reflects the current state of the registration. Common values include ACTIVE (registration is valid and current), EXPIRED (registration has lapsed and not been renewed), REVOKED (registration has been withdrawn by the Environment Agency), and PENDING (registration application is being processed).

How many results can I retrieve in a single run? The actor supports up to 10,000 results per run. The default is 100. You can adjust this using the maxResults input parameter.

Is this actor suitable for automated compliance monitoring? Yes. You can schedule the actor to run on a recurring basis using Apify's built-in scheduler -- for example, weekly or monthly. Combine it with webhooks or the Google Sheets integration to build an automated pipeline that flags expired or revoked registrations.

What does "prefix matching" mean for name searches? The Environment Agency API matches names from the beginning of the string. If you search for "Green", it will match "GreenWaste Ltd" and "Green Skip Hire" but will not match "EverGreen Waste". To find companies with a word in the middle of their name, try searching for that specific word as a prefix or use the address search as a complementary approach.

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Related actors

Actor	Description
UK Companies House Search	Search UK Companies House for company details, directors, and filing history -- useful for cross-referencing waste carrier registrations with official company records.
OpenCorporates Search	Search the world's largest open database of company information to verify corporate identities of waste carriers across jurisdictions.
UK Food Hygiene Ratings	Search the Food Standards Agency ratings database -- another UK government open data actor useful for multi-regulatory compliance verification.
UK Charity Commission	Search the Charity Commission register for England and Wales -- useful when verifying waste carrier registrations held by charitable organizations.
UK Flood Warnings	Monitor Environment Agency flood warnings and alerts -- complements environmental compliance workflows with real-time hazard data.
UK Land Registry	Search HM Land Registry price paid data -- useful for verifying registered site addresses of waste carriers against property records.