Does Digital Waste Tracking Apply to Your Farm?

If you’ve heard about the new Digital Waste Tracking (DWT) legal requirements, then your next question will inevitably be: Do these new requirements apply to my farm?

The DWT initiative is being introduced to replace the fragmented paper-based systems that are currently used to record waste movements, as the norm in the UK. 

The ambition is to create a clearer record of where waste comes from, where it goes and how it is handled. In addition to promoting improved sustainability and waste management standards, this will also make it harder for waste crime and illegal waste disposal to go undetected.

However, it’s important to note that DWT will not automatically apply to every farm.

Not all farms will fall under these requirements. Whether or not you’re affected will primarily depend on how your site is regulated, and whether you operate a permitted waste-receiving site or have a registered waste exemption.

In this article, we’ll share more details on what DWT is and what farms it applies to, so you can be confident that your site is operating in compliance with the latest waste management regulations. 

 

Does DWT apply to most farms?

For many farms and agricultural businesses, the new Digital Waste Tracking does not currently apply.

For farms conducting normal agricultural activities, DWT will not apply to your business. (But, please note, it may apply at a later date, if the legal requirements expands to cover other farm types). 

This is because DWT requirements are based on whether your site operates under a full Environmental Permit or a registered waste exemption.

Most everyday farm activity – e.g. spreading manure or slurry onto your own land – falls under an exemption, and this isn’t in scope for the October 2026 deadline.

But, for farms with anaerobic digestion plants, composting operations, or any site receiving third-party waste under a permit, these will be affected by the new DWT requirements. 

Simply owning or managing a farm doesn’t mean these requirements will automatically apply to you. Your legal requirements here are determined by the nature of your waste activity and the permissions applied to your site.

 

What information needs to be recorded under DWT?

These requirements come into force from October 2026 in England and Wales (and January 2027 in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

From this point onwards, permitted and licensed waste-receiving sites will need to report their waste details digitally. 

Where DWT applies, businesses will need to provide information about the waste they receive. 

This data includes: 

• The waste classification
• The movement of your waste 
• Your waste carrier 
• The receiving site of your waste

 

Why does accurate weight data matter?

The DWT initiative is designed to ensure waste records (including classifications and movements) are more transparent, clear and complete. 

By holding these records digitally, they can be easily accessible for any parties that require them. 

What’s more, these requirements also mandate that this information is more accurate than was previously allowed. This ensures that waste tracking and waste management initiatives can be more precise and strategic. 

This is where dependable, high quality weighbridges can prove to be invaluable. 

For agricultural businesses that will be impacted by these new requirements, reliable weighing equipment will play a key role in gathering this data quickly and reliably. Even if DWT doesn’t apply to your business yet, it’s still worth ensuring that your weighbridge is correctly calibrated. 

The DWT regulations may expand in the new future, so that more businesses fall under the requirements. So, by ensuring that you have the right equipment to gather accurate weight data from the get-go, you can accommodate the new regulations without stress or hassle. 

Having reliable weighbridge readings underpins the “quantity” field that DWT requires. Plus, it also ensures that you have calibrated and audit-ready equipment on-site as standard (which is valuable regardless of DWT requirements).

 

At Parkerfarm, we provide specialist weighbridge equipment, plus servicing and support services for agricultural businesses. With our skilled team on hand, you can enjoy complete peace of mind, knowing that your equipment is fully up to scratch.

So, if you’re unsure whether your weighbridge can accommodate the latest waste management requirements, get in touch with the Parkerfarm team.