Farm-based AD plants are among sites facing new digital waste reporting rules
Farm-based anaerobic digestion plants, composting operations and waste businesses receiving controlled waste from third parties must begin digitally recording every qualifying load from today under new government rules.
The requirements, which came into force across England and Wales on 1 October, give affected businesses two working days to submit details of waste they receive.
Farmers operating permitted or licensed waste-receiving sites are among those caught by the first phase of the new Digital Waste Tracking system.
This includes some anaerobic digestion plants, composting operations and other on-farm waste businesses accepting controlled waste from third parties.
However, the NFU has stressed that the rules do not apply to every farm business.
Farms operating solely under registered waste exemptions are not included in the first phase, meaning the changes should not be interpreted as applying to all farms handling waste.
Affected businesses must register for Defra's Report Receipt of Waste service and submit information about each qualifying load.
The annual charge is £26 per organisation, rather than per individual site, meaning one registration can cover multiple waste-receiving sites operated by the same business.
Records must be submitted within two working days, beginning from the day after the waste is received.
Businesses will need to provide information including the type and classification of waste, movement details, the waste carrier and relevant licence information, as well as where the material will be treated or sent.
Reports can be submitted using compatible waste-management software or through a government spreadsheet.
The NFU has told affected businesses that complying with the new system is "a legal requirement under the new regulations".
It has also warned that failure to comply could lead to enforcement action, including financial penalties and, in more serious cases, prosecution.
The new requirements form the first stage of the government's wider move towards digital waste tracking, which is intended to replace fragmented paper records with a clearer record of how waste moves through the system.
Defra said more than 12,000 permitted waste sites in England are covered by the new reporting regime from today.
The government says the system will also give regulators better information to identify suspicious waste movements, illegal dumping and discrepancies between waste collected and waste received.
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: "Waste criminals used to exploit the gaps but now they will have nowhere to hide."
For legitimate farm busindo 5 pesses, the NFU said the system could eventually reduce reliance on paper records and make information easier to retrieve during inspections.
However, the union has also acknowledged that the move could bring additional administration during the transition to digital reporting.
Farm businesses receiving third-party controlled waste are being urged to check whether their permits bring them within the new rules and ensure they are registered before submitting their first records.
Comparable digital waste tracking requirements are due to begin in Scotland and Northern Ireland from January 2027.