From October 2026, permitted waste receiving sites in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must record every load they take in through the new Digital Waste Tracking (DWT) service, with Scotland following in January 2027.
For now, phase 1 of the UK-wide rollout applies to receiving sites only. Alongside their existing paper duty of care records and consignment notes, sites must now also log every waste receipt on DEFRA’s digital system, giving regulators improved, real-time data for compliance checks and waste statistics. The rollout also reinforces the existing requirement to only use fully authorised disposal sites for all waste streams.
If you're an offshore waste producer, phase one places no reporting obligation on you, despite what some of the coverage around DWT has implied. What can still affect you is how well your receiving sites manage the move onto the new system.
A site that isn't ready for digital reporting doesn't just create a problem for itself; it can slow down the handover of your waste, even when the compliance burden sits elsewhere. Teething problems could impact receiving, recording and processing, and result in wider implications for your operations.
And phase one is only the start. DWT is expected to extend across the rest of the waste chain over time, so while there's nothing for offshore producers to action right now, understanding how the rollout is progressing will put you in a stronger position as it moves closer to you.
Here's what's worth knowing.
Check whether your receiving site is API-ready
Right now, receiving sites can submit data either through software connected directly to the DWT API, or through a temporary spreadsheet upload. If your receiving site is relying on the spreadsheet, someone still needs to enter that information manually, adding a step between your waste arriving and the record being filed.
Establish whether your partner is already using the public beta, which has been live since April 2026, and whether their own software is already linked to the API. If they're uploading via spreadsheet, ask:
- When they plan to move across
- Whether they've tested the process against the waste types and volumes you typically send them
- What happens if a submission fails or gets rejected
The manual option exists for sites without compatible software, so using it isn't a problem in itself. But moving to the API sooner rather than later will avoid further process changes down the line and to reduce the risk of mistakes as your volumes or waste types change.
Understand how your receiving site handles a mismatch
Phase 1 puts the reporting duty on the receiving site, but the digital record starts with what arrives at the gate.
If the waste or information presented doesn't match what was expected, whether that's the quantity, classification, description or timing, the discrepancy may need to be resolved before the record can be completed.
Before October, understand what your receiving site needs from you upfront, how it handles a load that cannot be accepted as planned, and who is responsible for resolving discrepancies between the physical waste and the digital record.
For offshore producers, there can be several handoffs before waste reaches the receiving site's gate. Understanding how mismatches are identified and resolved can help prevent issues with DWT records from becoming delays at handover, or even a flag in compliance.
Know which waste stream goes onto the digital system
Phase 1 of DWT does not apply to every waste stream sent from an offshore operation. Transfrontier Shipment (TFS) waste, Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) and non-waste items returned for cleaning or maintenance are among the movements that are currently outside the system. Green List waste exports and imports, known as Article 18 waste, are also outside Phase 1, with tracking for this category being developed separately.
For producers managing multiple waste streams, understanding which requirements apply to each movement is important. Assume DWT covers everything, and the required paper trail for an excluded stream could get missed.
The scope of DWT is expected to widen over time, so these exclusions should be kept under review. Any future changes could affect how particular waste movements are documented and managed, including at the point of handover.
Get ahead of the next phase
Phase 2 of DWT is expected to bring waste collectors, carriers, brokers and dealers into the system, with a private beta set to launch in autumn 2026. From there, the rollout will continue across the wider waste movement, extending digital tracking beyond the receiving site.
The run-up to October provides an opportunity to understand how the rest of your waste chain is preparing. Speak to carriers and contractors about what Phase 2 could mean for their operations, whether they expect changes to how waste is collected or transferred, and what information they may need from you.
DWT does not yet create an obligation for offshore producers, but changes further down the chain can still work their way back upstream. Understanding how downstream partners are transitioning, and whether their processes can accommodate the rollout, can help avoid problems later.
