DEFRA waste submission system: how waste data reaches DEFRA

Waste data reaches DEFRA through the Digital Waste Tracking Service, known as the DWTS. If you are trying to work out how you actually submit a record, the first thing to know is that there is no website where you type entries in by hand. The system accepts waste records in one of two ways: through software that connects to DEFRA's API, or by uploading a spreadsheet.

The two ways to submit

Software with an API connection. Software like LoadLog connects directly to DEFRA. You log the load in LoadLog, and it submits the record to DEFRA for you, checking the carrier registration and the waste code as it goes.

Spreadsheet upload. DEFRA provides a spreadsheet template that you download, fill in and upload back. This is a temporary option, and DEFRA has said it will stay available until at least October 2027.

The system fee

Whichever way you submit, there is a system fee of £26 a year for each legal entity on your account. This goes to DEFRA and is separate from any software subscription.

What the spreadsheet does not do

The spreadsheet is fine for a very small number of records, but it has limits. It does not check carrier registrations. It does not capture digital signatures. If one row has an error, the whole file is rejected and you are not told which row failed. There is no multi-user support and no PDF export of your records. If you operate more than one legal entity, you need a separate spreadsheet file for each one. For a site receiving more than a handful of loads a week, that adds up quickly.

How LoadLog submits for you

LoadLog submits through the API, so records go to DEFRA automatically as you log them. The carrier check happens before you accept a load, waste codes are validated as you type them, and both parties sign on screen. Compliance Lite is £12 a month for unlimited notes, with a free plan for lower volumes.

If your records already live in a spreadsheet, you do not have to start from scratch. LoadLog imports a CSV of your rows, or pasted entries, and turns them into draft notes with a preview before anything is submitted. From there the records go to DEFRA the same way as everything else, and the spreadsheet becomes a stepping stone rather than the system of record.

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Related guides

• Register with DEFRA - to get the API key.
• How much does DWTS cost? - a full fee breakdown.
• EWC code lookup - to look up waste codes.