Digital waste transfer notes

Digital Waste Transfer Notes – DEFRA Compliant, Ready Before the Deadline

DEFRA’s Digital Waste Tracking mandate goes live for waste sites in October 2026, with waste carriers following in 2027. Scrap4Free’s digital Waste Transfer Note tool replaces paper WTNs with a compliant, auditable digital record – built for skip hire companies, waste carriers, scrap collectors, and tradespeople like electricians, plumbers and roofers who need to be ready now.

Already registered? Log in New business? Register interest

Making a digital waste transfer note on a phone in the Scrap4Free Collector app

Who are you?

Pick the one that fits and we’ll take you to the right place.

🔧TradespersonElectrician, plumber, roofer, builder or fitter taking your own scrap and waste to a yard.Waste notes for trades → 🚚Scrap or waste collectorWant local collection jobs sent to your phone, with notes done in the van?Join as a collector → 🗑️Skip hire companyWaste transfer notes for every skip, for you and your drivers.Skip hire → 🏭Scrap yardLoads arrive with the paperwork done. Scan, weigh in and confirm on your phone.Yard access →

How it works

Log the job – what was collected, from where – and the rest happens on your phone.

Log the load

Tap “Collected a load” in the app or portal – or “My own waste” for your own trade waste. Items and EWC codes are filled in for you; just add the weight.

Your customer signs on their own phone

No app needed for them – they sign through a link, or on your phone there and then. Your own waste? No signature needed.

Saved automatically

A fully compliant digital Waste Transfer Note is generated and kept on record – time-stamped and searchable.

At the yard, show the QR

The yard scans it, weighs in and signs on their own phone. No paper changes hands.

No more paper records, filing cabinets, or scrambling to find a note before an audit.

Waste transfer notes for electricians, plumbers, roofers and builders

Taking your own scrap to the yard? Tap “My own waste”, type what it is and the right EWC code is found for you. You’re the producer and the carrier, so there’s no customer to sign – and every note is saved and searchable.

Electrician

Cable offcuts, old consumer units, light fittings and containment

17 04 11Cables17 04 05Iron and steel17 04 07Mixed metals

Plumber / heating engineer

Old boilers, radiators, copper pipe and cylinders, brass fittings

17 04 01Copper, bronze, brass17 04 05Iron and steel (boilers, radiators)

Roofer

Lead flashing, aluminium and zinc gutters, metal sheeting

17 04 03Lead17 04 02Aluminium17 04 04Zinc

Builder

Steel lintels and beams, mixed metal from strip-outs

17 04 05Iron and steel17 04 07Mixed metals

Kitchen & bathroom fitter

Stainless sinks, old pipework, taps and frames

17 04 05Iron and steel17 04 01Copper, bronze, brass17 04 07Mixed metals

Other trade

Any scrap metal or waste your work produces

Why go digital now

✓No more lost paperwork or scrambling before a compliance audit

✓Every job automatically time-stamped, geo-tagged, and stored

✓Customer signs on their own phone – no app download required

✓Full searchable history, exportable for inspectors on demand

✓Get ahead of the October 2026 deadline instead of reacting to it

✓EWC codes suggested for you – no more code guessing

The free app

Your waste notes, done before you leave the job

Make the note on your phone in a few taps, have it signed, and show a QR at the yard. Free on iPhone and Android – search “Scrap4Free Collector”.

Download for iPhone Get it on Android

Register your interest

Tell us a bit about your business and we’ll be in touch to talk through how this could work for you.

Run a scrap yard? Use Yard access. Want collection jobs? Join as a collector.

Company name What kind of business?

Scrap yards have their own free access – go to Yard access → (or carry on here and we’ll be in touch).

Skip hire companies – see Skip hire → for how it works with your drivers, or carry on here.

Contact name Email Phone (optional)

What's my waste code?

Type what you're getting rid of and we'll show you the official European Waste Catalogue (EWC) code for it – the same code your collector logs on your Waste Transfer Note.

Start typing an item above to find its waste code.

Browse all waste codes

Or scroll through the full list below, grouped by category.

Metals

Iron and steel 17 04 05

Also called: Radiator, Steel, Iron, Scaffold, Sink

Copper, bronze, brass 17 04 01

Also called: Copper, Brass, Bronze

Aluminium 17 04 02

Also called: Aluminium, Aluminum, Alloy wheel

Lead 17 04 03

Also called: Lead

Zinc 17 04 04

Also called: Zinc

Tin 17 04 06

Also called: Pewter, Tin can, Tin foil

Mixed metals 17 04 07

Cables (not containing hazardous substances) 17 04 11

Also called: Cable, Wire, Wiring

Cables containing oil, coal tar or other hazardous substances 17 04 10

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Metals (household-origin) 20 01 40

Metallic packaging 15 01 04

WEEE / electricals

Fridges/freezers – equipment containing CFCs 20 01 23

Also called: Fridge, Freezer, Air con, Air conditioning, Aircon, Dehumidifier

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Equipment containing CFCs/HCFCs/HFCs (not fridges) 16 02 11

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

TVs/monitors – equipment containing hazardous components 20 01 35

Also called: Television, Tv, Monitor, Crt

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Discarded equipment containing hazardous components (other) 16 02 13

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Discarded electrical/electronic equipment (non-hazardous, e.g. computers, printers) 16 02 14

Also called: Computer, Laptop, Printer, Server

Discarded electrical/electronic equipment (household WEEE, non-hazardous) 20 01 36

Also called: Washing machine, Dishwasher, Tumble dryer, Dryer, Cooker, Oven, Hob, Boiler, Microwave, Toaster, Kettle, Vacuum

Lead-acid batteries 16 06 01

Also called: Car battery, Lead acid

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Batteries containing hazardous substances 20 01 33

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Batteries (non-hazardous, e.g. standard alkaline/li-ion) 20 01 34

Also called: Battery, Batteries

Fluorescent tubes / other mercury-containing waste 20 01 21

Also called: Fluorescent, Strip light, Lightbulb

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Vehicles

End-of-life vehicles (drained of fluids, depolluted) 16 01 06

Also called: Car, Vehicle, Van

End-of-life vehicles (not yet drained/depolluted) 16 01 04

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Ferrous metal (end-of-life vehicle parts) 16 01 17

Non-ferrous metal (end-of-life vehicle parts) 16 01 18

End-of-life tyres 16 01 03

Also called: Tyre, Tyres

Oil filters 16 01 07

Also called: Oil filter

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Hazardous components from vehicles (batteries, mercury switches etc.) 16 01 21

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Waste engine, gear or lubricating oil 13 02 05

Also called: Engine oil, Motor oil

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Construction & demolition

Concrete 17 01 01

Bricks 17 01 02

Tiles and ceramics 17 01 03

Mixed concrete, bricks, tiles, ceramics 17 01 07

Also called: Brick, Rubble, Concrete, Tile, Ceramic

Wood 17 02 01

Also called: Timber

Glass 17 02 02

Also called: Window, Glass

Plastic 17 02 03

Also called: Plastic

Bituminous mixtures (roofing/road material, non-hazardous) 17 03 02

Also called: Roofing, Bitumen, Tarmac

Soil and stones (non-hazardous) 17 05 04

Also called: Hardcore, Soil, Stones

Insulation materials (non-hazardous) 17 06 04

Also called: Insulation

Gypsum-based construction material (plasterboard, non-hazardous) 17 08 02

Also called: Plasterboard, Gypsum

Mixed construction and demolition waste (non-hazardous) 17 09 04

Packaging

Paper and cardboard packaging 15 01 01

Also called: Cardboard, Paper

Plastic packaging 15 01 02

Wooden packaging (pallets etc.) 15 01 03

Also called: Pallet

Mixed packaging 15 01 06

Also called: Packaging

Packaging containing hazardous substance residues 15 01 10

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Household / bulky

Bulky waste (furniture, mattresses, carpets) 20 03 07

Also called: Mattress, Sofa, Wardrobe, Furniture, Carpet, Bed frame

Wood (household-origin, non-hazardous) 20 01 38

Also called: Wood

Plastics (household-origin) 20 01 39

Paper and cardboard (household-origin) 20 01 01

Glass (household-origin) 20 01 02

Textiles / clothing 20 01 11

Also called: Clothing, Clothes, Textile

Mixed municipal waste (general household rubbish) 20 03 01

Also called: General waste, Household waste, Rubbish, Junk

Street-cleaning residues 20 03 03

Hazardous / special

Paint, inks, adhesives, resins containing hazardous substances 20 01 27

Also called: Paint, Adhesive, Solvent

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Detergents containing hazardous substances 20 01 29

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Pesticides / weed killer 20 01 19

Also called: Weed killer, Pesticide

⚠ Classed as hazardous waste – your collector will handle this with extra paperwork, at no extra cost to you.

Book a free collection →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a digital Waste Transfer Note?

A digital Waste Transfer Note (WTN) is an electronic record of a waste collection – what was collected, from where, by whom, and where it went – replacing the paper WTN. It's signed by the customer on their own phone and stored automatically, so there's always an auditable record.

When does DEFRA's digital waste tracking mandate start?

Waste sites are required to track waste digitally from October 2026. Waste carriers follow in 2027. Scrap4Free's system is built to match DEFRA's data definitions now, so businesses using it are ready ahead of both deadlines.

Do I need an app to use it?

Your customer doesn't – they sign on their own phone through a link, with nothing to download. You can log jobs from the free Scrap4Free Collector app (iPhone and Android) or from your online account, and the Waste Transfer Note is generated and stored automatically.

Is it compliant with DEFRA's requirements?

Yes. The system is built around DEFRA's published data definitions for Waste Transfer Notes, so the same information can be carried across into DEFRA's digital tracking service once the carrier-side API goes live.

Do electricians, plumbers and roofers need a waste transfer note for scrap they take to a yard?

Yes. When you pass waste from your work – cable offcuts, copper pipe, old boilers, lead flashing – to someone else, such as a scrap yard, a waste transfer note should record what it is, its EWC code, how much there is, and who handed it over to whom. Scrap4Free lets you make that note on your phone in a few taps using "My own waste".

Which EWC code do I use for cable, copper pipe or lead?

Common codes are 17 04 11 for cables (that don't contain hazardous substances), 17 04 01 for copper, bronze and brass, 17 04 03 for lead, 17 04 02 for aluminium, 17 04 05 for iron and steel and 17 04 07 for mixed metals. In the app you just type what it is – for example "copper pipe" – and the code is suggested for you. You can also use the EWC code lookup on this page.

Do I need a waste carrier registration to take my own waste to a yard?

In England, a business that carries its own waste usually needs to register as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency – a lower-tier registration is normally enough, but construction and demolition waste needs an upper-tier registration. Check the current rules on GOV.UK for your situation.

How much does it cost?

Register your interest below and we'll talk you through pricing for your type of business – skip hire, waste carrier, scrap collector, or trade.

Waste carrier registration in England: GOV.UK – register as a waste carrier.