Digital Waste Tracking – Get your Business Ready

Starting in October 2026, it becomes mandatory for permitted waste receiving sites in England, Wales & Northern Ireland to digitally track all waste they handle. 

Every movement of waste will need to be tracked, from the second it leaves your site to its final treatment. It replaces fragmented paper records like waste transfer notes and hazardous waste consignment notes. 

We’ll guide you through everything you need to know to make sure your business is ready for the October deadline.

What is Digital Waste Tracking?

Digital Waste Tracking is a new UK-wide initiative introduced by the government, designed to improve the way waste is tracked and recorded. 

The new digital service aims to replace the paper records, which were often messy and easily misplaced, with a clearer and more consistent method of tracking waste data. 

The rollout will begin with permitted and licensed waste receiving sites, reporting what waste they are actually receiving, before expanding to waste collectors in 2027. 

Why is Digital Waste Tracking Being Introduced?

At the moment, waste records are split between paper-based records that might be sitting at the bottom of a filing cabinet, and some that are kept on a digital system somewhere. This makes it difficult to know exactly how everyone’s waste moves around the UK. 

As well as replacing paper trails, the introduction of digital tracking aims to stop waste crime. Illegal dumping and rogue operators cost the economy every year (around £1billion), with potentially 20% of waste managed illegally. A digital trail aims to make it harder for illegal operators to hide. 

Stronger visibility of waste movement will help to strengthen accountability for businesses across the UK. 

When Does Digital Waste Tracking Become Mandatory?

Phase 1 – Waste Receiving Sites

From 1 October 2026, permitted and licenced waste receiving sites in England & Wales must report the waste they receive digitally. 

Waste receiving sites in Scotland and Northern Ireland follow from 1 January 2027. 

Phase 2 – Waste Collection 

Phase 2 extends the service to waste collectors, including carriers, brokers and dealers. 

Public beta is planned for spring 2027, with the aim for mandatory use currently planned from October 2027

What About Waste Producers?

For the businesses that generate waste, including offices and other workplaces, there is currently no plan to introduce Digital Waste Tracking. 

The current focus is on those that collect or receive waste, rather than those that produce it. Phase 1 applied to permitted and licenced waste receiving sites and the waste they receive. Phase 2 will extend the service to waste collectors, including carriers, brokers and dealers. 

How Digital Waste Tracking will incorporate waste producers in the future has yet to be fully determined, although the existing waste responsibilities will continue to apply in the meantime. 

How it Actually Works 

1. Digital Submission: Operators will submit their details via an API linking waste management software or via temporary spreadsheets. 
2. Timeframes: Permitted facilities must log required details within two working days of receiving waste.
3. Fees: The platform requires an annual subscription fee (approximately £26) for active rolling access and ability to create/edit records.
4. Compliance: Existing duty-of-care reporting and traditional notes must run alongside the new system during the phased transition.  

What Types of Waste Need to be Tracked

The new rules apply to most waste types created or handled by UK businesses. These include: 

• General commercial waste
• Mixed recyclables and single-stream recycling (paper, cardboard, plastics, metals, glass) 
• Food waste 
• Hazardous waste such as chemicals, solvents and oils
• Waste electrical and electronic equipment
• Construction

Certain low-risk materials and household recycling centre waste are excluded for now but may be added later. If your business produces or handles any of these waste types, you must keep digital records. 

How Businesses are Already Getting Ahead

The businesses best placed for Digital Waste Tracking are not waiting for the deadline. They are using the change as an opportunity to gain a clearer view of their waste, strengthen relationships with suppliers and make everyday administration simpler. 

• Following the full waste journey 

Businesses are taking a closer look at where their waste goes after it leaves the site. Who collects it? Where is it taken? What happens next? Building the picture now gives organisations greater confidence that their waste is being managed responsibly from start to finish. 

• Getting the right people involved early

Waste does not move through a business in isolation. Collection companies, carriers, brokers, recycling facilities and disposal sites all play a part. Leading businesses are talking to these partners now to understand who is already using the public beta, and who may need support to get ready. 

• Leaving paper trails behind 

Filing cabinets, loose transfer notes and time-consuming searches are quickly becoming a thing of the past. By moving duty of care records into a digital format early, businesses can make information easier to find, improve consistency and avoid the last minute rush when requirements change. 

Preparing now is about more than meeting a future requirement. It’s a chance to create a clearer, more confident way of managing waste. One that saves time, supports compliance and helps protect the environment.

Speedy Skips is Getting Ready

Speedy Skips & The Allstone Group are already preparing for the introduction of Digital Waste Tracking. We are already changing our processes to ensure our waste movement is tracked and recorded more accurately and consistently. The change to digital is coming, it’s important to get ahead early!