The government has announced a delay to the introduction of mandatory digital waste tracking across the UK, moving the start date from April 2025 to April 2026.
A scheme of this kind hopes to provide a comprehensive way to see what is happening to the waste produced in the UK, supporting better regulation and a move towards a circular economy.
In a 6 February statement Defra said it had received feedback in recent months from industry stakeholders and delivery partners to the effect that the original timeline “presents significant challenges”.
“We want to ensure that the outcomes delivered through this work meet the standards and user needs you have been informing us of. A delay to implementation would ensure the new IT service is fit for purpose and increases confidence levels that the needs of our diverse stakeholder groups are met. It will allow us to ensure testing of the new service is comprehensive and involves many of you throughout this phase.”
“The four administrations remain committed to developing a UK-wide digital waste tracking service that supports the principles of a circular economy that will be in place from April 2026. We also want to ensure businesses have enough time to prepare for integrating new digital technologies.”
David Gudgeon, Head of External Affairs at Reconomy Connect, said: “A UK-wide digital waste tracking system remains essential for improving waste management, increasing transparency, and driving materials up the waste hierarchy. Accurate, real-time data will help tackle waste crime, support the circular economy, and ensure better environmental outcomes.”
