Defra's published timetable places waste collectors - including carriers, brokers and dealers - in Phase 2. Public beta is planned from spring 2027 and mandatory use from October 2027.
The confirmed Phase 2 timetable
Defra describes Phase 2 as the service for waste collectors: carriers, brokers and dealers. The published plan is for an invited private beta from autumn 2026, public availability from spring 2027 and mandatory use from October 2027.
The detailed Phase 2 service and final operating requirements continue to develop. Businesses should distinguish the confirmed timetable from features that cannot be finalised until the service specification is available.
What carriers can improve now
The useful preparation is to create a reliable digital record for every job. Customer, collection site, destination, carrier, vehicle, driver, material, quantity and supporting documentation should remain connected rather than being scattered across paper, messages and photographs.
This has an immediate commercial benefit. The same completed movement can support transfer documentation and invoice preparation, reducing the office work required after the vehicle returns and helping invoices leave sooner.
Compliance is more than buying an app
No software can guarantee compliance regardless of how it is used. The business must still hold the correct authorisations, understand its duty of care, describe waste accurately, use appropriate destinations and provide complete information.
The software's role is to make the required workflow easier to follow, keep evidence accessible and enable submission through the official service when Phase 2 is available and the product connection is confirmed.
A sensible buying test
Ask whether the product works on the phone, reuses regular customers and sites, produces usable transfer documentation, preserves a searchable history and carries completed work into invoicing. Also ask the supplier to separate features available now from Phase 2 submission features that depend on Defra's rollout.
Merlinium Carrier is priced at GBP 20 per month and is designed around phone-led movement records, documentation and commercial follow-up. Phase 2 submission is enabled in line with the official service rollout and confirmed scope.
Practical checklist
Actions to take
- Create one record for every collection and delivery
- Keep customer and site information reusable
- Link the waste description and quantity to the movement
- Prepare transfer documentation from the same record
- Carry completed jobs into invoice preparation
- Review Phase 2 requirements when the public service specification is available
Common questions
What operators ask
When does Digital Waste Tracking become mandatory for carriers?
Defra's current timetable states October 2027 for waste collectors, including carriers, brokers and dealers.
Can Carrier submit to Defra now?
The Phase 2 carrier service is not yet publicly available. Submission is enabled in line with the official rollout and confirmed product scope.
How much is Merlinium Carrier?
The published price is GBP 20 per month, with a phone-led self-setup route.
Official sources and review note
This guide was last reviewed on 12 August 2026. Official guidance remains the source of truth and may change as the service develops.
Defra: Digital Waste Tracking service