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 who need to be ready now, not scrambling in September.

How it works

Log the job – what was collected, from where
Your customer confirms and signs on their own phone, no app needed
A fully compliant digital Waste Transfer Note is generated and kept on record automatically

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

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

Already registered? Log in New business? Register interest

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.

Company name What kind of business? 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.

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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?

No. Your customer signs on their own phone through a link – there's nothing to download. You log the job from your own 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.

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.