Digital Waste Tracking: business regulatory impact assessment

3. Consultation

3.1 Within Government

49. The development of a UK-wide waste tracking system requires a joint approach, while respecting devolved powers. The four governments (Scottish, UK, Welsh and Northern Irish Governments) and environmental regulators (SEPA, the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Irish Environment Agency) have been working closely to develop a waste tracking that works for all stakeholders.

50. The views and requirements of local authority stakeholders have also been elicited through the local authority representatives who were part of the Waste Tracking User Panel (which included 17 Scottish local authorities and 63 others from across the UK), and through wider Scottish Government structures such as the Scottish Government – Local Government Steering Group for the Circular Economy.

3.2 Public Consultation

51. A formal UK-wide consultation was conducted from January 2022 to April 2022^[28] to present and seek thoughts on :

• Accessing the data on the waste tracking system
• Fees and charges
• Exemptions and alternative requirements for digitally excluded persons
• Offences and sanctions

52. A total of 713 responses to the consultation were received, and a four-nations Government Response published in October 2023^[29]. The feedback was used to review and refine the proposals and shape the digital design of the waste tracking service.

3.3 Business

53. A Waste Tracking User Panel (1200 stakeholders with 450 operating across Scotland) was consulted throughout the process of considering and developing a prototype system for digital waste tracking. This panel included a range of business stakeholders from across the waste sector, as well as wider sectors. Engagement with the user panel took place through questionnaires, surveys, interviews, user research workshops and discussions, and written feedback as well as usability testing of prototypes. Feedback from the user panel has informed the partial and final BRIA and development of the waste tracking system.

54. To help software developers and waste receivers prepare for the mandatory changes to the reporting of waste movements, the digital waste tracking system is undergoing beta testing. A private beta commenced in November 2025, which tests the service with a select group of users to:

• help software developers and waste receivers prepare for the mandatory changes to the reporting of waste movements
• give software developers (including third-party and internal development teams) as much time as possible to integrate their products and systems with the Receipt of Waste Application Programming Interface (API)
• test that our APIs, processes and documentation meet the needs of waste receivers and software developers
• ensure the data we collect meets the needs of waste regulators
• test and refine our registration, onboarding and support processes

55. The private beta phase will be followed by a public beta, commencing April 2026, to allow all users to access the service on a voluntary basis and further refine the service ahead of its mandatory introduction.