BLOG
Scotland establishes digital waste tracking system
- #digital waste tracking system
- #EHS
- #Scotland
On 11th March, the Digital Waste Tracking (Scotland) Regulations 2026 were made.
These Regulations establish a digital waste tracking system and outline requirements on operators of permitted facilities in relation to submitting specified information to the digital waste tracking system.
These regulations will come into force on 1st January 2027.
These Regulations are made using powers in section 34CA and 34CB of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
These Regulations establish a digital waste tracking system in Scotland, the purpose of which is to track controlled waste, which covers household, industrial or commercial waste.
The Regulations contain provisions relating to the establishment and maintenance of the digital waste tracking system, including enforcement mechanisms.
It also outlines default requirements for operators of a permitted facility to ensure that they enter information regarding controlled waste into the digital waste tracking system and pay an annual fee.
- Operators of permitted facilities which receive controlled waste must enter specified information into the digital waste tracking system.
- Operators must follow specific instructions for entering this information, including alternative measures that must be taken when there is an outage that prevents operators from entering the information using the usual methods.
- Operators are required to ensure that the digital waste record is corrected, if they submit incorrect or inaccurate information.
- The Regulations also make provisions for the designation of “digitally excluded operators”. These operators can acquire this status after applying to the Scottish EPA.
- “Digitally excluded operators” are exempt from the usual requirements for other operators, but must abide by alternative requirements, which are explained in the Regulations.
The Regulations come into force on 1 January 2027.