Waste crime is an increasingly expensive problem across the UK, with it now costing the UK economy approximately £1 billion each year. Criminals have taken advantage of an outdated, largely paper-based system for tracking waste, which has made it difficult for the authorities to take effective action.
As a result, big changes are being introduced with the rollout of digital waste tracking in the UK. This will be a new digital system for tracking waste movements, replacing the fragmented paper-based system currently in place. It is intended to create a clearer and more accurate audit trail for waste throughout its entire life, from its production through to its final disposal.
The new digital system is being introduced in two main phases, outlined in the tables below. Phase 1 is focused on permitted or licensed waste receiving sites, while phase 2 then expands the digital tracking system to waste collectors (including carriers, brokers and dealers).
Phase 1
Date | What is happening | What it means |
April 2026 | Public beta opened for waste receiving sites | Permitted or licensed waste receiving sites can choose to begin using the service |
Summer 2026 | Legislation published by each UK nation to implement digital waste tracking | The legal framework for digital waste tracking will be put in place before October 2026. Most duties will not come into force immediately |
October 2026 | Mandatory use begins in England, Wales and Northern Ireland | Permitted/licensed waste receiving site operators will be required to use the new service |
January 2027 | Mandatory use begins in Scotland | Permitted/licensed waste receiving site operators will be required to use the new service |
Phase 2
Date | What is happening | What it means |
Spring 2027 | Public beta expected for waste collectors | Waste collectors (including carriers, brokers and dealers) can choose to begin using the service |
October 2027 | Mandatory use begins | Waste collectors (including carriers, brokers and dealers) will be required to use the new service |
What is in force as of today?
Currently, the only part of digital waste tracking in operation is the live public beta for waste receiving sites. This allows permitted or licensed waste receiving sites to begin using and testing the digital waste tracking system for themselves. It is important to note that use of the system is not mandatory until October 2026 (January 2027 in Scotland). This means that if you do choose to use this public beta, you will still be required to use existing waste transfer notes, consignment notes and other reporting methods until the relevant requirements are formally changed. You can register to use the public beta here.
The upcoming changes
Phase 1
The first organisations to be affected by digital waste tracking will be the operators of permitted or licensed waste receiving sites that fall within the scope of phase 1. These are sites required to hold a permit or licence for the receiving of waste, and include sites such as recycling facilities, waste treatment facilities and landfill sites. Once digital waste tracking becomes mandatory for these sites, they will have a duty to record and submit the details of the waste they receive through the government’s digital waste tracking service. The digital waste tracking service will cost organisations £26 per year to access once it is mandatory. Details on how to submit your data can be found here.
There has been some uncertainty about whether registered waste exemptions are included in phase 1. The Environment Agency has confirmed that they are not expected to be included in the mandatory reporting that comes into effect in October 2026 (January 2027 in Scotland) and are expected to be brought into the scope of digital waste tracking as part of phase 2.
Phase 2
After phase 1, digital waste tracking will expand to cover waste collectors in phase 2, including carriers, brokers and dealers. This will go beyond the recording of waste received by Phase 1 sites and require a wider record of how waste has been arranged and moved throughout the waste chain. A voluntary public beta is expected in spring 2027, followed by mandatory use by waste collectors from October 2027.
Whilst we have the high-level timeline of phase 2, we are still expecting some areas to be developed further before implementation. Waste exemptions have been confirmed to be included in phase 2 with further details yet to be published. Digital tracking for the export and import of green list waste is also expected to be built into future phases of the framework.
What can organisations do now?
It is important to know if the new digital tracking of waste will affect you and if so, what you will be required to do when it becomes mandatory. If you fall within the scope of the phase 1 rollout, you should consider taking part in the public beta as it can help you get to grips with digital waste tracking before it becomes a mandatory requirement. You should also consider reviewing how you currently record your waste activities and checking its readiness to report under the new digital system. Under the draft legislation, digitally excluded operators would not be required to use the digital waste tracking system, but they would still need to keep written records of the required waste information.
Waste collectors and operators using registered waste exemptions should monitor the rollout of phase 1 and keep up to date on any changes that may be made to the rollout of phase 2 in 2027. It is important to continue to use the existing paper-based waste documentation until the mandatory requirements of digital waste tracking apply.
While it is not an immediate change for those managing waste in the UK, the phased rollout of digital waste tracking will fundamentally change the way waste information is recorded and submitted over the next couple of years. Organisations that fall within the scope of either phase of the rollout should seriously consider preparing now for the coming changes.
(The current waste carrier, broker and dealer system in England is due to change in the future, more information on the overhaul of the current system can be found here.)
