Here’s what to do.
The 1 October 2026 Digital Waste Tracking deadline is approaching. If your receiving site hasn’t yet implemented a software solution, don’t ignore the deadline — but don’t rush into the wrong long-term system either.
From 1 October, licensed or permitted organisations receiving controlled waste in England and Wales will need to report the waste they receive through the new government service.
You can still comply.
You don’t have to have commercial waste software in place by 1 October.
If your software isn’t ready, Defra provides an official spreadsheet which you can complete and upload to the government service.
This gives you a way to meet your immediate reporting obligations while you choose and implement the right long-term solution for your business.
From 1 October, receiving sites covered by the new requirements will need to collect and report specified information about the waste they receive.
Records must normally be submitted within two working days, starting on the day after the waste is received.
For example:
Waste received: Monday at 9am
Reporting deadline: Wednesday at 11:59pm
There are two ways to send receipt-of-waste information to the government service:
Integrated software
Waste software can connect directly to Defra’s Receipt of Waste API and submit the required information.
Government spreadsheet
If you don’t have connected software, you can complete Defra’s official spreadsheet and upload it to the service.
You can include multiple waste movements in one spreadsheet.
Go to the government reporting service
1 October is the deadline for reporting.
It isn’t a deadline for buying a particular piece of software.
If you haven’t chosen your long-term system, the government spreadsheet gives you a route to reporting while you properly consider your options.
A system that could be running your business for years shouldn’t necessarily be chosen simply because it can be installed quickly.
If you’re going to use the government spreadsheet initially, decide how it will work in practice.
Who collects the information?
Who completes and uploads the spreadsheet?
How will you make sure every movement is reported on time?
How will you check submissions have been accepted?
For a busy receiving site handling significant numbers of waste movements, consider how this additional process will fit into your normal working day.
The government spreadsheet provides a way to meet the reporting requirement without integrated commercial software.
But once DWT is operating, there’s another question worth asking:
Is DWT working efficiently for your business?
If information has already been captured when a vehicle arrives, ideally your team shouldn’t have to repeatedly enter it into separate systems.
When considering your longer-term solution, ask:
BUT IS IT WORKING FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
Midsoft has been developing software specifically for the waste industry since 2005.
Our approach isn’t to add another standalone DWT system to your operation. Digital Waste Tracking is integrated into the Midsoft workflow, allowing information captured while running the business to support the digital reporting process.
If you haven’t implemented commercial software before 1 October, we won’t suggest rushing an installation simply to meet the deadline.
Use the government’s reporting route while you decide whether an integrated Midsoft solution is right for your business.
See how Midsoft approaches DWT
No.
The requirement from 1 October 2026 is to report the required information about waste received at sites covered by the new Digital Waste Tracking requirements.
There are currently two ways to submit this information to the government service:
Using connected software — waste management software can connect to Defra’s Receipt of Waste API and submit the required information.
Using the government spreadsheet — organisations without connected software can complete Defra’s official Receipt of Waste spreadsheet and upload it to the service.
This means you do not have to rush into purchasing commercial software simply to meet the 1 October reporting deadline.
However, you do need to make sure you have a workable reporting process in place from the deadline.
The required information must normally be submitted within two working days, starting on the day after the waste is received.
For example, if waste is received at 9am on Monday, the submission must normally have been made and received its unique waste tracking reference by 11:59pm on Wednesday.
Weekends and bank holidays are not counted as working days.
For sites receiving large numbers of movements, it’s important to consider how this reporting deadline will fit into the normal operation of the site.
Digital Waste Tracking is a legal requirement for organisations and waste receipts covered by the regulations.
Failure to comply can result in regulatory enforcement.
Depending on the circumstances, enforcement measures can include:
The appropriate action will depend upon the circumstances, so businesses should refer to the latest government guidance and contact their regulator if they are unsure about their obligations.
Defra has procedures covering situations where an organisation is unable to submit information because of an outage.
Where the outage procedure applies, you will normally need to notify your regulator as soon as possible, unless you have already been informed that the government service itself is unavailable.
You must create and retain a written record containing the required information within the normal two-working-day reporting period.
The information must then normally be transferred to the government service within seven working days, starting on the day after the outage is resolved.
Different circumstances can affect what you need to do, so always check the current government outage guidance.
Yes, for the time being.
Defra has said that the existing paper-based waste tracking system will initially continue alongside Digital Waste Tracking.
This means businesses must continue completing relevant documentation where required, including:
Existing waste returns required by environmental permits and hazardous waste consignee returns also continue for the time being.
Defra intends Digital Waste Tracking ultimately to replace elements of the existing system, but businesses should not stop their current record-keeping or reporting arrangements until government guidance says they can.
Digital Waste Tracking is a regulatory requirement and government guidance may change. This page provides general information rather than legal or regulatory advice.
Information checked against GOV.UK guidance: 5 September 2026.
Read the latest GOV.UK guidance
Not ready for Digital Waste Tracking? Speak to Midsoft about preparing for DWT and how our integrated waste management software can help make ongoing reporting part of your existing workflow.
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