The Government is launching a Digital Waste Tracking service as part of its Waste Crime Action Plan to combat waste crime. This new system will replace the outdated paper-based tracking, creating a real-time audit trail for waste handled by businesses. It aims to provide reliable data to help identify suspicious activities and allow enforcement bodies to target rogue operators effectively.
The service will be mandatory for permitted waste receiving sites in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales from October 2026, and in Scotland from January 2027, initially affecting about 12,000 sites, with plans to expand to over 100,000 operators.
Mary Creagh, Minister for Nature, said: “Waste crime is a wicked business, and the paper system we inherited was not fit for purpose. Through our Waste Crime Action Plan, we are tightening the net on the waste cowboys.
“Our Digital Waste Tracking Service will give authorities better, more reliable evidence to go after rogue operators and shut them down.
“It will also speed paperwork up for legitimate operators and cut red tape at the same time.”
A voluntary beta test for the digital waste tracking service opens on 28th April, with permitted waste receiving sites and software developers for the waste sector encouraged to take part and help refine the system ahead of full rollout.
Executive Director of the Environmental Services Association (ESA), Jacob Hayler, said: “Today marks a significant milestone of progress towards implementing Digital Waste Tracking, which is another important weapon in the arsenal needed to fight waste crime.
“Implemented successfully, Digital Waste Tracking should make it easier for waste producers to be sure that they are dealing with legitimate operators, while also providing useful and timely data to regulators to help them crack down on cowboys.
“ESA urges operators across the industry to engage with the beta testing phase, and we look forward to working with the Government to refine and successfully roll out the process ahead of mandatory adoption.”
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