Clear answers to common DWT questions.

Digital Waste Tracking (DWT) is the UK's new digital service for recording and reporting information about waste movements. It is being introduced to improve the quality, consistency and traceability of waste data across the UK.

DWT is intended to create more consistent digital waste records, improve visibility of waste movements, support regulatory compliance and help tackle waste crime.

The first mandatory phase applies to organisations operating permitted or licensed waste receiving sites. Later phases are planned to extend reporting requirements across the wider waste chain.

Mandatory DWT reporting begins for waste receiving sites in England and Wales on 1 October 2026, followed by Scotland and Northern Ireland on 1 January 2027. Later requirements are planned as the service develops.

Permitted and licensed waste receiving sites in England and Wales enter mandatory digital reporting from 1 October 2026 under the published phased timetable.

The first phase concerns organisations operating permitted or licensed waste receiving sites. Requirements depend on the organisation's role, authorisation and location, so operators should check current GOV.UK guidance.

Reporting windows and field requirements are defined by the DWT service and may vary with the type of record. Check current official guidance when designing your operational process.

The published programme plans to extend digital reporting across more of the waste chain. Dates and scope remain subject to official regulatory updates.

Depending on the movement, information can include waste classification, quantity, carrier, vehicle, receiving site, authorisations, recovery or disposal information and additional hazardous or POPs information.

An EWC code is the six-digit code used to classify a type of waste under the relevant List of Wastes. Hazardous entries are identified with an asterisk.

Missing required information can prevent a record from being accepted. TRACE highlights records that need attention so the information can be reviewed before submission or resubmission.

Yes. TRACE is designed to let authorised users identify affected records, amend supported information in the application, validate it and manage the next submission step.

Yes. Defra provides a prescribed spreadsheet route for manual DWT reporting. The information still needs to be correctly structured, linked, validated and submitted within the applicable reporting window.

The spreadsheet route itself is free. The operational cost comes from preparing, checking, correcting, managing versions, submitting and tracking the data.

The spreadsheet can transfer data, but high-volume or complex operations may face repeated checking, re-keying, version control and submission monitoring work around it.

Yes. TRACE supports a structured DWT file as an input route, then provides validation, correction, submission management and status visibility around that data.

TRACE is Digital Waste Tracking software from ISB Global. It helps organisations validate, correct, submit and manage DWT records while retaining the operational systems they already use.

No. TRACE can operate as a standalone DWT application alongside an organisation's existing waste-management, weighbridge, ERP or other operational systems.

TRACE is designed so users can identify problematic records and correct supported information inside the application instead of repeatedly returning to the original spreadsheet.

TRACE provides authorised teams with visibility of facility activity, successful records, failures, retries and records that need attention.

Implementation depends on the number of sites, data condition, chosen input route and operational complexity. The discovery process is used to establish a practical plan rather than promise a generic timeframe.

ISB Global will need to understand how the organisation creates its DWT data, which systems and sites are involved, who owns the process and where data-quality gaps may exist.

Implementation includes understanding the existing data route, identifying gaps and preparing the reporting process before go-live.

TRACE is backed by ISB Global's established software, implementation and support organisation. Ongoing support continues beyond initial configuration and launch.