Digital Waste Tracking will not become mandatory in April 2025

In early 2022, the UK Government, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland jointly conducted a consultation on the introduction of mandatory digital waste tracking across the UK. The Government response, outlining the approach to development and implementation based on the feedback received, was published by the previous UK Government on behalf of the four administrations in October 2023.

In recent months, feedback from industry stakeholders and delivery partners has indicated that the original timeline for introducing a digital waste tracking service by April 2025 presents significant challenges. In response to this feedback and following a detailed review of the project plans, a decision has been made to defer the previously stated implementation date. As a result, the digital waste tracking service will not become mandatory in April 2025.

The decision to delay implementation reflects the need to ensure that the outcomes delivered align with stakeholder requirements and quality standards. Additional time will allow for further testing and development to ensure the IT service is fit for purpose and instils confidence that the needs of diverse stakeholder groups are met.

The UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs NI remain committed to supporting the development and implementation of digital waste tracking.

You can read more on this here.