Digital Waste Tracking (DWT) absorbs a fragmented mix of mostly paper based systems into one connected digital record. Broadly, it captures what a full hazardous waste consignment note holds, plus receiving site detail. Here is what goes away, and the important catch about timing.
What DWT replaces
Waste Transfer Notes (WTNs): the note for every transfer of non hazardous controlled waste. Current retention is 2 years.
Hazardous and special waste consignment notes: in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus the SEPA SA, SB and SC codes in Scotland. Current retention is 3 years.
Annex VII forms: for green list exports. These still travel with the load, but the data also goes onto DWT. This is a later phase.
Aggregated returns: hazardous consignee returns, quarterly site returns and prenotifications, in time.
Edoc: the old voluntary electronic WTN system from 2014, which is being decommissioned.
Important: paper is not switched off overnight
During the transition you must keep doing your existing paperwork alongside DWT. Hazardous waste consignee returns, quarterly returns, consignment notes and WTNs all continue as normal for a period. DEFRA has been explicit that it will not initially move away from current reporting methods, so expect a period of dual running.
How LoadSnap reduces the double handling
Every collection or receipt you log in LoadSnap already holds what both the old and new systems need: the classification, quantities, parties and timestamps. That means the same record can generate a Waste Transfer Note, feed a hazardous consignee return, and file the movement to the DEFRA API. One capture, not three.