Duty Watch
The rule changes that bind UK waste businesses, watched for you
DutyOS collects new and changed waste rules from UK government sources every six hours. Each short issue below says what changed, who it binds and when it bites, with every legal claim checked against the source.
The dates as made. Digital Waste Tracking Phase 1 binds permitted receiving sites in England and Wales from 1 October 2026 (England SI 2026/729, Wales WSI 2026/105). Scotland follows from 1 January 2027 (SSI 2026/145).
Waste carriers, brokers and dealers have no legislated date. October 2027 is DEFRA’s stated intention only. Waste transfer notes and consignment notes continue alongside the digital record.
Issues
- Day one: what actually changed on 1 October
What the first day of digital waste tracking changed for permitted receiving sites in England and Wales, who the duty binds, who it does not, and when each date is law rather than intention. Checked against the made regulations.
3 October 2026
Follow the issues in a feed reader: dutyos.co.uk/dutywatch/feed.xml
Latest from the regulators
Collected automatically from GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk and the regulators’ own feeds. Nothing here is restated: read the source before acting on it.
Last checked 3 October 2026 at 13:20
- Report receipt of waste: choose a software provider
You can use software to automatically upload your waste records into the report receipt of waste service.
- Public register of reprocessors and exporters of UK packaging waste
List of all operators registered and accredited under extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging.
- Man arrested in connection with North East illegal waste dumping
32-year-old is being questioned in connection with illegal waste sites in Peterlee and Hartlepool, County Durham.
- Issuing PRNs and PERNs as a reprocessor or exporter
How accredited reprocessors and exporters can issue packaging waste recycling notes (PRNs) and packaging waste export recycling notes (PERNs) under extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging.
- Developing the digital waste tracking service
Our plans to introduce mandatory digital waste tracking, the benefits of this change, the timelines and impacts.
- No hiding place: new tracking system exposes waste criminals like never before
First step in tracking waste and placing waste criminals under unprecedented scrutiny as new tracking system goes live
- Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): reuse and treatment
Apply to become an approved authorised treatment facility and how to operate legally under the approval.
- Storing waste shells before use in nature restoration: RPS 379
Environment Agency regulatory position on when you can store waste shells for nature restoration
- Digital waste tracking: check if you need to report the waste you receive
When permitted or licensed organisations must report controlled waste using the ‘Report receipt of waste’ service.
- Report receipt of waste
From October 2026 (January 2027 in Northern Ireland and Scotland), all organisations that are licensed or permitted to receive waste must use the new report receipt of waste service.
- Packaging waste data reported by reprocessors and exporters
Aggregated packaging waste data from reports by accredited reprocessors and exporters under extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging.
- Locations of high priority waste sites in England
A list of waste sites in England that are causing concerns within local communities.
Signed-in DutyOS users see the full Duty Watch feed inside the product.