Digital Waste Tracking · 1 October 2026
Digital waste tracking, in plain English
What it is, who it's for, when it starts and what you actually have to do. No scare stories.
Who has to do it
If you receive waste on a permit, you report it. Permitted receiving sites in England and Wales have been doing it since 1 October 2026. Scotland and Northern Ireland start on 1 January 2027. Carriers, brokers and dealers come later, indicatively October 2027.
What you report
The receipt of every load. What it was, how much, where it came from and who brought it.
When
Within two working days, starting the day after the waste comes in. Weekends and bank holidays don't count. GOV.UK's own example: received 9am Monday, reported by 11:59pm Wednesday.
Registering
Each company registers itself with DEFRA, once per legal entity rather than once per site. If you're going to use software, you'll get an API code to give your software provider.
Your options
You don't have to buy anything. DEFRA has a free spreadsheet. Or you can use software that connects with your API code and does the transfer note and the report together.
Paper notes
Paper transfer notes aren't banned and they're not going away. Digital waste tracking sits alongside them.
GOV.UK's own example
Monday
Waste received
9am
Tuesday
Day 1
The day after it comes in
Wednesday
Day 2
Report by 11:59pm
Weekends and bank holidays don't count.
Who it's for
Stuck on registration, or want to see what doing it once at the gate looks like? Book a free 20 minute call.
Wastrio is software compatible with Digital Waste Tracking, Report Receipt of Waste.