Posted: 30/04/2026

New Digital Waste Tracking Service Introduced to Target Rogue Waste Traders

UK Government have launched a new Digital Waste Tracking (DWT) service, marking a major step forward in the fight against waste crime.

Digital Waste Tracking forms a key part of the Government’s Waste Crime Action Plan, alongside new legislation being laid in Parliament that will require businesses to create a real‑time audit trail for the waste they handle.

The system will be mandatory from October 2026 for permitted waste receiving sites in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and from January 2027 in Scotland, giving industry sufficient time to prepare.

The new system will track every piece of permitted waste in real time, replacing the current paper‑based process with a modern, streamlined digital service. This will give regulators stronger, faster intelligence to identify suspicious activity, pursue offenders, and shut down rogue operators who undermine legitimate businesses.

Phase one will apply to around 12,000 permitted waste sites, with the scope expanding over time to include more than 100,000 waste operators across the UK.

A voluntary beta test for the Digital Waste Tracking service opened on 28 April 2026, with permitted waste sites and waste‑sector software developers encouraged to take part and help refine the system ahead of full rollout.