Documentation

Purpose

• Digitise waste collection processes
• Ensure regulatory compliance
• Improve operational efficiency
• Enhance environmental reporting
• Streamline team communication

Target Users

• Waste Management Companies
• Environmental Compliance Officers
• Collection Team Members
• Facility Managers
• Environmental Consultants

Key Benefits

• Reduced administrative overhead
• Real-time tracking and reporting
• Enhanced regulatory compliance
• Improved team coordination
• Paperless documentation

Technical Overview

• Built on Laravel PHP Framework
• Modern responsive interface
• RESTful API architecture
• Secure data encryption
• Cloud-based deployment

Accessibility

• Mobile-first design
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Offline capabilities
• Progressive Web App (PWA)
• Responsive on all devices

Security Features

• Role-based access control
• Data encryption at rest
• Secure API endpoints
• Regular security updates
• Audit trail logging

Core Technologies

• Backend Framework: Laravel 10.x
• Frontend: Blade templates with Alpine.js
• CSS Framework: Tailwind CSS
• Database: MySQL/MariaDB
• Asset Bundling: Vite

Security Features

• CSRF Protection
• SQL Injection Prevention
• XSS Protection
• Secure Password Hashing
• Rate Limiting

Data Layer

• Eloquent ORM
• Database Migrations
• Query Optimization
• Data Validation
• Model Events

MVC Pattern

• Models: Handle data and business logic
• Views: Blade templates for presentation
• Controllers: Process user requests
• Services: Complex business operations
• Repositories: Data access abstraction

Service Layer

• Business Logic Encapsulation
• Transaction Management
• Event Handling
• External Service Integration
• Error Handling

API Architecture

• RESTful Endpoints
• API Resource Classes
• JWT Authentication
• Rate Limiting
• API Documentation

Storage

• File Storage Abstraction
• Cloud Storage Support
• Document Management
• Backup Systems
• File Encryption

Communication

• Email Notifications
• Real-time Updates
• Queue System
• WebSocket Integration
• SMS Notifications

Performance

• Query Caching
• Asset Optimization
• Load Balancing
• Database Indexing
• Response Compression

Waste Note Creation and Management

Efficiently manage the entire waste collection process from start to finish.

• Create and track waste collection notes
• Automated ID generation
• Digital signature capture
• Real-time status updates
• PDF documentation generation

Client and Location Management

Comprehensive client relationship and location tracking system.

• Detailed client profiles
• Multiple collection locations
• Collection history tracking
• Site-specific requirements
• Contact information management

Staff Assignment and Tracking

Efficiently manage staff workload and monitor performance.

• Smart job assignment system
• Real-time location tracking
• Performance analytics
• Mobile app integration
• Work schedule management

Fleet Management

Complete vehicle tracking and maintenance system.

• Vehicle tracking and assignment
• Maintenance scheduling
• Fuel consumption monitoring
• Route optimisation
• Vehicle documentation

Documentation Generation

Automated creation of required documentation and reports.

• PDF waste note generation
• Automated email distribution
• Digital record keeping
• Compliance documentation
• Custom report templates

Compliance Tracking

Ensure adherence to waste management regulations.

• Regulatory compliance monitoring
• Audit trail maintenance
• Environmental reporting
• Certification tracking
• Risk assessment tools

Real-time Team Chat

Integrated communication system for team coordination.

• Instant messaging
• Group channels
• File sharing
• Mobile notifications
• Message history

Statistics and Reporting

Comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities.

• Performance dashboards
• Custom report generation
• Data visualisation
• Export capabilities
• Trend analysis

Mobile-Responsive Design

Access the system from any device, anywhere.

• Responsive interface
• Touch-optimised controls
• Offline capabilities
• Cross-platform support
• Progressive Web App

Administrator

Full system access with complete control over all features and settings.

• Manage user accounts and permissions
• Create and process waste notes
• Access all reports and statistics
• Configure system settings
• Monitor staff performance
• Manage client relationships
• Handle compliance documentation
• Oversee fleet management

Staff Member

Operational access focused on waste collection and processing tasks.

• View and manage assigned collections
• Update job status in real-time
• Record waste collection details
• Capture digital signatures
• Access route information
• Communicate with team members
• Submit collection reports
• View personal performance metrics

Client

Limited access to relevant waste collection information and documentation.

• View collection history
• Access waste documentation
• Download compliance certificates
• Track ongoing collections
• View environmental reports
• Update contact information
• Request new collections
• Access support resources

Role Transitions

Process for changing user roles:

1. Submit role change request
2. Administrator approval required
3. Automatic permission updates
4. Notification to affected user
5. Access level adjustment

Custom Permissions

Additional role customisation options:

• Department-specific access
• Time-based restrictions
• Feature-level permissions
• Geographic limitations
• Client-specific access

Access History

Comprehensive audit trail features:

• Login activity tracking
• Permission change logs
• Action history recording
• Security event monitoring
• Compliance reporting

1. Create Waste Note

• Admin creates a new waste note with client, location, and waste details
• System generates a unique waste note ID

2. Assign to Staff

• Admin assigns the waste note to available staff
• Staff receives notification of new assignment

3. Collection Process

• Staff updates status as they proceed (on route, on site)
• Staff confirms waste collection details and signs digitally
• Client signs to confirm collection

4. Processing

• Admin processes the collected waste
• Records actual quantities and handling details
• Updates compliance information

5. Completion

• Admin marks the job as completed
• System generates PDF documentation
• Documentation is emailed to relevant parties

6. Reporting

• System updates statistics and reports
• Performance metrics are recalculated

Server Requirements

• PHP 8.1 or higher
• MySQL/MariaDB 5.7 or higher
• Web server (Apache/Nginx)

Development Tools

• Composer
• Node.js and NPM

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/your-organization/weee-waste-manager.git
cd weee-waste-manager

2. Install PHP dependencies

composer install

3. Install JavaScript dependencies

npm install

4. Set up environment file

cp .env.example .env
php artisan key:generate

5. Configure database in .env file

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=weee_waste_manager
DB_USERNAME=your_username
DB_PASSWORD=your_password

6. Run migrations and seeders

php artisan migrate --seed

7. Create storage link

php artisan storage:link

8. Build assets

npm run build

9. Start the development server

php artisan serve

Visit http://localhost:8000 in your browser

10. Default login credentials

• Email: admin@example.com
• Password: password

Environment Variables

Key environment variables to configure:

# Application Settings
APP_NAME="WEEE Waste Manager"
APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=false
APP_URL=https://your-domain.com

# Database Settings
DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=weee_waste_manager
DB_USERNAME=your_username
DB_PASSWORD=your_password

# Mail Settings
MAIL_MAILER=smtp
MAIL_HOST=your-mail-server.com
MAIL_PORT=587
MAIL_USERNAME=your-email@example.com
MAIL_PASSWORD=your-password
MAIL_ENCRYPTION=tls
MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS=your-email@example.com
MAIL_FROM_NAME="${APP_NAME}"

# Waste Note Email Settings
WASTE_NOTE_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com,manager@example.com

User Roles Configuration

User roles are defined in the app/Models/User.php model. The system uses a simple role-based access control system with the following roles:

• admin: Full system access
• staff: Limited access to assigned jobs
• client: Limited access to own waste notes

PDF Configuration

PDF generation is handled by the DomPDF library. Configuration can be adjusted in config/dompdf.php.

Directory Structure

The application follows Laravel's standard directory structure:

• app/: Contains the core code of the application
  • Http/Controllers/: Controllers for handling requests
  • Models/: Data models and relationships
  • Mail/: Email templates and logic
• config/: Configuration files
• database/: Database migrations and seeders
• public/: Publicly accessible files
• resources/: Frontend resources
  • views/: Blade templates
  • css/: Stylesheets
  • js/: JavaScript files
• routes/: Route definitions
• storage/: File storage

1. Create necessary database migrations

php artisan make:migration create_new_feature_table

2. Create models

php artisan make:model NewFeature

3. Create controllers

php artisan make:controller NewFeatureController --resource

4. Define routes in routes/web.php

Route::resource('new-features', NewFeatureController::class);

5. Create views

Create views in resources/views/new_features/

6. Update navigation

Update navigation in resources/views/layouts/navigation.blade.php

Asset Compilation

The system uses Vite for asset compilation:

• Development mode: npm run dev
• Production build: npm run build

Testing

Run tests using PHPUnit:

php artisan test

Authentication

API requests require authentication using Laravel Sanctum:

1. Obtain an API token by sending a POST request to /api/login with email and password
2. Include the token in subsequent requests as a Bearer token in the Authorization header

Available Endpoints

• GET /api/waste-notes: List all waste notes
• GET /api/waste-notes/{id}: Get a specific waste note
• POST /api/waste-notes: Create a new waste note
• PUT /api/waste-notes/{id}: Update a waste note
• GET /api/clients: List all clients
• GET /api/staff: List all staff members

API Response Format

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    // Response data here
  },
  "message": "Success message"
}

Assets Not Loading

If CSS and JavaScript assets are not loading:

• Check that you've run npm run build for production
• Verify that the asset files exist in public/build/
• Clear browser cache
• Check for console errors in the browser developer tools

Storage Link Issues

If uploaded files are not accessible:

• Ensure you've run php artisan storage:link
• Check file permissions on the storage/ and public/storage/ directories
• Verify that files are being saved to the correct location

Database Connection Issues

If you're experiencing database connection problems:

• Verify database credentials in .env
• Check that the database server is running
• Ensure the database exists and is accessible

PDF Generation Errors

If PDF generation fails:

• Check that the required PHP extensions are installed (dom, gd, mbstring)
• Verify that the temporary directory is writable
• Check for errors in the Laravel log file

Email Sending Failures

If emails are not being sent:

• Verify mail configuration in .env
• Check mail server connectivity
• Review Laravel log for mail-related errors

Documentation

Refer to this documentation and inline code documentation for guidance.

Issue Tracking

Report issues through the project's issue tracker.

Community Support

Contact Creation Web Solutions Ltd for professional support.