Changes being developed by the Environment Agency (EA), Defra and the European Union are expected to increase oversight of how waste is transported and managed both domestically and overseas.
Article 18 waste export controls
Reforms to Article 18, or “green list”, controls are expected in summer 2026 to enhance reporting and compliance activity surrounding lower-risk waste exports.
Under the proposals, all exports of Article 18 waste would need to be reported to the EA. Exporters would be required to submit Annex VII shipment data on a monthly basis, with information provided retrospectively for the previous month’s movements.
Alongside the reporting obligations, exporters would also need to provide supporting evidence relating to the overseas facilities receiving the waste.
Digital Waste Tracking
The government’s Digital Waste Tracking programme is expected to replace the UK’s paper-based waste recording system with a single digital platform covering the movement of controlled waste.
The rollout has faced delays following concerns from industry around readiness and implementation. Digital Waste Tracking was originally expected to launch by April 2025, before the timeline was delayed to late 2026.
Under the new regulations, operators of permitted waste facilities will be required to record “specified information” for every load of controlled waste they receive through the system.
Carrier, broker and dealer reforms
Defra is also progressing major reforms to the waste carrier, broker and dealer (CBD) regime in England, as part of wider efforts to tackle waste crime and modernise the sector’s regulatory framework.
Under the proposals, the existing two-tier registration system would be phased out and replaced with environmental permits or, for lower-risk activities, registered exemptions.
The proposed permitting regime would consist of three categories of standard rules permits:
- Controller-only
- Transporter-only
- Combined controller-transporter permits
Each permit would also be tiered according to the scale of activity being carried out and the risk posed by the type and volume of waste handled.
EU Waste Shipment Regulation
Alongside the UK reforms, waste exporters are also monitoring major legislative changes taking place within the European Union under the revised EU Waste Shipment Regulation (EUWSR).
Under the reforms, exports of plastic waste to non-OECD countries are generally prohibited, while exports to OECD countries face stricter monitoring requirements designed to ensure waste is managed sustainably.
As part of the wider EUWSR reforms, the EU is also introducing the Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS), a centralised electronic platform for managing waste shipment procedures across the bloc.
Although DIWASS will not be mandatory for UK operators, businesses involved in waste exports involving EU transit or destinations may still choose to use the platform depending on how their operations interact with European markets.
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