The October 2026 Digital Waste Tracking deadline
Everything waste-receiving sites must do before Digital Waste Tracking becomes mandatory in October 2026 — as a simple checklist.
If your site receives controlled waste — including IT hardware — the Digital Waste Tracking Service (DWTS) becomes mandatory for you in October 2026. Here is exactly what that means and how to be ready without a scramble.
The key dates
A public beta opens on 28 April 2026. From October 2026 DWTS is mandatory for waste-receiving sites in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland follows in January 2027, and waste carriers must comply from October 2027.
Your readiness checklist
- Register your organisation for DWTS before the mandatory date.
- Make sure you can produce a digital movement record for every incoming load.
- Keep issuing WEEE evidence and data-destruction certificates — DWTS does not replace them.
- Check your software can generate DWTS-ready records from your normal operations.
- Confirm your record retention meets the statutory minimum.
The trap to avoid
DWTS records the movement of waste. It does not prove the data was destroyed or that the WEEE was treated correctly. If you rely on DWTS alone you will fail an audit. You need the movement record and the certificates, for every device.
Frequently asked questions
When is the DWTS deadline?
October 2026 for waste-receiving sites (England, Wales, NI), January 2027 for Scotland, and October 2027 for waste carriers, after a public beta from 28 April 2026.
What happens if we’re not ready?
Receiving controlled waste without a compliant digital record once the mandate is live puts you in breach of your duty of care and permit conditions.
Does WipeTrail make us ready?
Yes — it generates DWTS-ready records automatically alongside your WEEE and data-destruction paperwork.
Ready when you are
See WipeTrail on your own kit.
Book a 20-minute demo and we’ll walk the whole flow — collection to certified wipe to resale — and show how fast you could be live before the DWTS deadline.
Book a demo →