Digital Waste Tracking Software
for UK Waste Operators
Permitted and licensed receiving sites in England and Wales enter the first phase on 1 October 2026. Waste collectors, carriers, brokers and dealers follow in October 2027.
What is Digital Waste Tracking?
Digital Waste Tracking is DEFRA's new mandatory system that records waste movements through a central digital service. It is being introduced in phases rather than as a single deadline for every organisation.
The goal is to create a clearer digital trail of waste from its origin through collection, treatment, recovery or disposal. That gives regulators and businesses more consistent information about where waste goes.
Permitted and licensed receiving sites in England and Wales are first, from 1 October 2026. Collectors, carriers, brokers and dealers are due to submit information on waste movements from October 2027. Preparing structured digital records now gives your team time to test the workflow before your phase begins.
Key dates you need to know
Simpler Recycling — large businesses
Simpler Recycling — SMEs and micro businesses
Digital Waste Tracking begins for permitted and licensed receiving sites in England and Wales
Collectors, carriers, brokers and dealers begin required waste-movement submissions
What DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking Mandate Means for Your Business
The practical deadline depends on your role. Permitted and licensed receiving sites in England and Wales must begin submitting required information from 1 October 2026. Waste collectors, carriers, brokers and dealers follow in October 2027.
For most operators, the preparation is operational: understand the data required for your role, capture it consistently during each job, and choose a reliable route for submitting it. If your current process depends on WTN pads, spreadsheets or re-keying, moving to structured digital records early reduces the work at changeover.
Software supports this process, but it does not transfer your legal responsibilities to the software provider. You should check the current government guidance for your role and make sure your own procedures, data and staff training are ready.
PaperRoute is DEFRA Approved and ready for Digital Waste Tracking. It creates digital Waste Transfer Notes, manages waste classification data, captures electronic signatures and stores movement records.
Five practical steps to prepare
Confirm which phase applies to your business
Permitted and licensed receiving sites in England and Wales begin on 1 October 2026. Collectors, carriers, brokers and dealers follow in October 2027.
Review the information you capture
Compare the current government requirements for your role with the data you collect at booking, collection and receipt. Identify missing or inconsistent fields.
Create structured digital records
Move repeat customer, site, waste and classification information into a digital workflow so staff do not have to decipher paper or re-key the same details.
Choose your submission route
Decide how your required waste-movement data will reach the Digital Waste Tracking service and confirm that the software and process work for your operation.
Train your team before the deadline
Give drivers and office staff time to test the workflow, correct data issues and build confidence before your mandatory phase begins.
Paper vs Digital: why the switch matters
| Paper WTNs | Digital WTNs | |
|---|---|---|
| Waste Transfer Notes | Handwritten, harder to search and prone to missing fields | Auto-generated with required fields enforced |
| Signatures | Wet ink on paper, easily lost or damaged | Electronic signatures kept with the job record |
| EWC Codes | Looked up manually, frequently wrong | Searchable database, auto-populated from job details |
| Record Keeping | Filing cabinets, boxes of paper | Cloud-stored, instantly searchable, always accessible |
| Audit Trail | Difficult to reconstruct, gaps in chain of custody | Complete digital trail from collection to disposal |
| DWT submission | Information must be re-keyed from paper records | Structured data can be prepared for electronic submission |
DEFRA Approved and ready for Digital Waste Tracking
PaperRoute gives your team a proven route from day-to-day waste records to the phased Digital Waste Tracking service.
Digital Waste Transfer Notes
Create digital WTNs on every collection, populated with customer, waste and classification data. Required operational fields can be captured consistently at source.
E-Signatures on Device
Drivers can capture electronic signatures in the Android and iOS driver app at the point of collection and keep them with the job record.
EWC Code Management
Full European Waste Catalogue code database built into PaperRoute. Codes are linked to customers and waste streams — drivers select from pre-configured options, eliminating errors.
Certificates of Destruction
Generate branded Certificates of Destruction with witness signatures, waste descriptions, and destruction methods. Essential for confidential waste operators — built into every PaperRoute plan.
Try the full PaperRoute system for 14 days
Send us your details and we'll contact you to understand your operation and configure the trial. Your 14 days start only when you accept and activate it.
Full system. Assisted setup. No card. No automatic subscription.
Digital Waste Tracking FAQ
What is Digital Waste Tracking?
Digital Waste Tracking is the government's new service for recording waste movements digitally. The rollout is phased: permitted and licensed receiving sites in England and Wales begin submitting required information from 1 October 2026, while waste collectors, carriers, brokers and dealers become subject to the next phase in October 2027.
When does Digital Waste Tracking become mandatory?
It depends on your role. Permitted and licensed receiving sites in England and Wales are in scope from 1 October 2026. Waste collectors, carriers, brokers and dealers are due to submit waste movement information from October 2027.
Does software on its own make my business compliant?
No. Your legal duties remain your responsibility and depend on your role and the waste movements you handle. The right software can reduce manual work, improve the quality of your records and provide a route for submitting the required data.
Is PaperRoute DEFRA Approved and ready for Digital Waste Tracking?
Yes. PaperRoute is DEFRA Approved and ready for Digital Waste Tracking. It also creates digital Waste Transfer Notes, captures electronic signatures and stores structured waste records.
What should waste collectors and carriers do now?
Waste collectors and carriers should understand which October 2027 duties apply to them, review the data they capture on each movement, choose how that data will be submitted and give their team time to test the new workflow before the deadline.
Can I prepare before my mandatory date?
Yes. Moving your operational records into a structured digital workflow now gives you time to check your data, train staff and resolve gaps without a last-minute changeover.
Related guides and resources
DEFRA Digital Waste Tracking Checklist: 10 Steps to Compliance
A practical checklist for reviewing your records and preparing for the phase that applies to your business.
Digital Waste Tracking 2026: What UK Waste Collectors Need to Know
A guide to the phased 2026 and 2027 rollout, who is affected and how to prepare.
Digital Waste Transfer Notes: Complete UK Guide
What digital WTNs contain, who needs to prepare and how to choose suitable software.
Waste Transfer Note Software: A Guide for UK Waste Collectors
How to choose the right waste transfer note software and what to look for before the mandate.
Just a small operation?
Just a small operation? You don't need a fleet platform to go digital. PaperRoute Lite creates Waste Transfer Notes and hazardous consignment notes on your phone, for £11.99/month.