Implementing Digital Waste Tracking: what it means for customers. Words by Caiti Black On Tuesday 20 October 2026, First Mile exhibited at the Digital Waste Tracking Conference, organised by letsrecycle.com. First Mile Chief Commercial Officer, Joe Allen, spoke during session three, Technology and Opportunities, discussing what it takes to put digital waste tracking into practice across its operations. For any business that produces commercial waste, this conference addressed an essential shift from paper records to a centralised digital waste tracking. The changes directly impact your legal compliance, corporate sustainability reporting, and the daily audit trail of every bin leaving your business. Watch the full talk. Joe's presentation at the conference covered both customer and operator perspectives. The sections below focus on what digital waste tracking means for you as a waste producer and includes practical lessons First Mile learned rolling out its own systems. Where digital waste tracking is now. The UK waste sector is facing its most significant regulatory update in decades. Under Defra's roadmap, mandatory digital waste tracking will replace paper waste transfer notes with central digital records. The scale of this transition is vast. Across the UK, there are roughly 12,000 permitted waste sites that were impacted in Phase 1, however there are 25x more businesses to come into scope in Phase 2. Around 300,000 registered carriers, brokers, and dealers will need to replace paper waste transfer notes with digital waste tracking from 1st October 2027. Industry readiness remains surprisingly low. Before speaking, Joe chatted with an industry software provider who told First Mile that businesses approaching him were, on average, a resounding one out of ten ready. Many businesses are still working out their first steps in digital waste tracking. However, meeting compliance does not need to be complicated once you focus on the fundamentals. What it means for you as a customer. The most common reaction First Mile hear from businesses is: "We only produce the waste. Our collector will handle digital waste tracking, so it does not affect us". It is true that the legal duty to upload collection records to Defra rests primarily with licensed waste carriers and permitted facilities. However, there is an important caveat that concerns waste producers. As Joe highlighted in his talk, First Mile and other operators will be publishing data directly to Defra that features your business name, your site addresses, and the specific waste streams coming out of your premises. Even if the regulatory upload mechanism sits with your waste provider, it is your business data that populates the public record. If a provider submits inaccurate data or misclassifies materials, that record sits permanently in a government database under your name. Sustainability managers, facilities leads, and compliance teams will want to ensure that what appears in Defra's system reflects their true environmental performance. Transparent waste reporting under digital tracking will become central to corporate governance. To stay compliant and confident, businesses should focus on three practical areas: * 01 Know exactly what is inside your bins: Digital waste tracking requires precise classification using European Waste Catalogue (EWC) codes. An EWC code is a standardised six digit number used across the UK to classify specific waste types, such as 15 01 01 for paper and cardboard or 15 01 02 for plastic packaging. Contaminated recycling bins or mislabelled hazardous items will now be documented in central records under your business profile. * 02 Check your provider's reporting standards: Ask your waste collectors how they record your collections. Are they relying on rough paper estimates, or do they have verified digital systems? At First Mile, its vehicles link directly to its tracking platform, Miley, and weighbridges. First Mile use geostamping, which pins your transfer note to an exact geographical boundary. If First Mile collect cardboard from your loading bay, that collection is geocoded, giving you clear verification that your collection took place at the right address. * 03 Audit your internal data now: Whether you manage a single shop or multiple commercial properties, clean waste records protect your business during audits and ESG reporting. First Mile has published guidance on digital waste tracking for SMEs to help businesses of any size set up straightforward waste inventories. What First Mile learned putting it into practice. For waste operators, building a digital tracking process can look like an intimidating project. When First Mile began its journey at First Mile, its starting point was build, not buy. First Mile decided to extend Miley, its bespoke waste tracking software, rather than purchase a generic third party system. Whether an operator chooses to build or buy, its main learning remains identical: the tech was not its stumbling block; it was making sure First Mile had accessible data. Software providers offer platforms packed with features. However, no software can fix disordered data. First Mile began from a simple starting point: a CSV spreadsheet listing Defra's required data fields. Its steering committee mapped where each data point lived in its existing systems before touching any software code. That basic mapping gave First Mile its fastest progress. First Mile also engaged directly with regulators. First Mile joined the Defra beta programme early and kept in regular contact with their technical team. Defra proved very responsive, which helped First Mile adapt its weighbridge logging, vehicle registration tracking, and EWC classification feeds to match regulatory standards. Finally, internal culture matters just as much as technology. You cannot treat compliance as an isolated project. Over the past year, First Mile ran 30 internal updates during its weekly town halls, supported by detailed training and process updates. First Mile also hosted 15 seminars with its customers. This ensured its account managers, customer service staff and drivers understood the regulations thoroughly, creating widespread confidence across its business. What's next. Digital waste tracking is rolling out in distinct phases, and phase one is only the beginning. To discover how upcoming reforms will influence carrier licensing, consignment notes, and commercial collections, read its guide on what comes after phase one. Its team is also continuing to lead industry discussions this quarter. On 3rd November 2026, First Mile Chief Executive Officer Susan Davy will speak at the National Waste Crime Conference. Susan will examine how waste operators and customers can work together to prevent waste crime, eliminate rogue operators, and uphold high standards across the industry. What is digital waste tracking? Digital waste tracking is a UK government initiative led by Defra and environmental regulators across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It replaces paper Waste Transfer Notes with an online service that records commercial waste movements, improving transparency and tackling waste crime. Does digital waste tracking affect waste producers as well as waste carriers? What is an EWC code and why do I need to know mine? Will digital tracking replace paper Waste Transfer Notes completely? How does First Mile record customer collections digitally? What should my business do now to prepare for digital waste tracking?

Waste Leadership Summit 2026: senior leaders talk e-waste and vape disposal. Words by Caiti Black On 15 October 2026, First Mile attended and sponsored the Waste Leadership Summit at No. 4 Hamilton Place in Mayfair, hosted by letsrecycle.com. Senior figures from across the waste sector, retail, manufacturing, local government and finance gathered to discuss making commercial reality and environmental sustainability work hand in hand. The summit tackled structural questions across the circular economy, with a key focus on electronic waste. With changing regulations, regular fire risks and shifting retail packaging rules, hearing from senior leaders helps inform and shape practical solutions that work for businesses on the ground. Its roundtable on e-waste and vapes. Over lunch, First Mile Operations Director Lukasz Czech chaired a dedicated roundtable focused on one of the waste industry's most challenging items, vapes and small electricals. The session brought together an experienced cross-section of policy specialists, compliance leaders and infrastructure operators: * Patrick Brighty, Head of Recycling Policy at the Environmental Services Association (ESA) * Susan Evans, Policy Lead at Resource Futures * Prof. David Greenfield, Managing Director at SOENECS Ltd * Niamh McBride, Environmental Partnerships Lead at Material Focus * Michael Jennings, Policy & Public Affairs Advisor at Beyondly * Paul Wakelin, Head of Operations at CWM Environmental To kick off the session, Lukasz put three direct questions to the room: * Are First Mile starting to make progress in changing public behaviour around vape disposal? * What legislative changes are needed to get vapes into the correct waste streams? * What are First Mile missing in current communication and awareness campaigns? What the room said. The discussion moved quickly past surface-level observations into the operational, financial and behavioural realities of handling vapes. The growing problem with vapes. The room highlighted that while vapes are classified as electrical equipment under waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) regulations, enforcement around their disposal has historically lagged behind. Until recently, vapes sat within Category 7 alongside toys, obscuring the specific hazards they carry. The economic cost of managing them is disproportionately high. According to figures shared by the roundtable panel, handling and treating vapes costs over £1,000 a tonne. Because very few local authorities provide kerbside collections for vapes, millions end up mixed into general waste bins. When compactors in collection lorries or recycling facilities crush discarded vapes, the enclosed lithium-ion batteries puncture easily. The consequences are severe. Data published by the Environmental Services Association (ESA) revealed 1,518 fires across waste and recycling facilities in the year to March 2026. The ESA estimates battery-induced fires cost the UK economy more than £1 billion annually, accounting for 40% of all reported recycling centre fires, with industry estimates suggesting the actual proportion could be as high as 70% (battery fires burn so fiercely that pinpointing the cause is often difficult). Public behaviour and the case for a deposit. Public awareness remains a significant hurdle. Research from Material Focus indicates that since 2022, around 1.2 billion disposable-style vapes have been purchased in the UK, with roughly 750 million binned or littered. While restrictions on single-use vapes came into force from June 2025, rechargeable pod devices and high-capacity models have largely replicated the same disposal habits. Material Focus findings show that around 8.2 million vapes are discarded incorrectly each week, and 77% of vapers say they lack clear information on how to recycle them. The roundtable panel shared data showing that only 4 in 10 consumers are currently willing to recycle vapes under existing conditions. In contrast, research cited by the panel revealed that 9 in 10 people would return used devices if a formal deposit return scheme (DRS) were established. The room agreed that behavioural change must lead the conversation rather than financial penalties alone. Clearer public communication that directly addresses fire dangers could help shift consumer perception from seeing vapes as disposable items to recognising them as hazardous electrical devices. Structuring a workable return system. The panel explored how a viable return scheme might work in practice. The room discussed an account-based model where buyers register a purchase through an account and receive their deposit back upon returning the device to an authorised point. This mechanism avoids placing an administrative or financial cash-flow burden on individual retail staff. The room also raised critical design factors: * Age verification: Strict age limits must apply to deposit redemptions so that minors are not incentivised to collect, handle or trade discarded vapes for cash rewards. * Market protection: Return infrastructure must be secure, preventing drop-off hubs from fueling an illicit secondary market for counterfeit or illicit devices. Retailer and producer accountability. Panellists noted that high-street vape take-back engagement remains inconsistent. While reputable businesses often comply with take-back rules, informal or non-compliant vape shops frequently fail to offer collection facilities. The panel agreed that real progress depends on bringing producers and importers firmly into the loop through tighter licensing and mandatory packaging instructions. Similar to the regulatory models governing drinks containers, creating a legal obligation for retailers to host take-back points establishes the physical collection infrastructure necessary for national compliance. Legislation and viable targets. Attendees emphasised that statutory targets must be commercially and operationally viable. Without realistic benchmarks and stable policy direction, regional operators cannot justify long-term investments in dedicated sorting technology. The panel concluded that updating the law to ringfence vapes into their own clear waste stream is essential for creating consistent standards across the country. The benefits of a dedicated return route for vapes. Segregating vapes from other domestic and commercial waste streams delivers three major benefits: * 01 Fire prevention Keeping batteries out of collection trucks and sorting lines removes the primary ignition source for waste fires, protecting collection crews and facility operators. * 02 Infrastructure investment A predictable, segregated volume of e-waste encourages recycling specialists to invest in automated sorting, battery shredding and material recovery technologies. * 03 Lower recycling costs When devices arrive clean and unmixed, dismantling and processing costs fall substantially, creating a cheaper, more circular system for compliant producers. Managing discarded vapes at work. For commercial facilities, offices and retailers, letting vapes slip into regular bins creates a genuine fire hazard and compromises sustainability reporting. * Separate at the source: Never place vapes, batteries or e-waste into general waste or dry mixed recycling containers. * Set up dedicated drop-off points: Provide marked containers in staff rooms, communal hubs or customer areas using a specialised vape recycling service. * Manage compliance: Ensure your electrical waste processes comply with current Duty of Care rules by reviewing its lithium battery recycling guide and wider WEEE recycling advice. From policy to practical action. Taking part in the Waste Leadership Summit is about representing day-to-day operations, from policy to practical action. Its operations director, Lukasz, observed: "Customers ask us what to do with vapes. Most of them want to get it right, but nobody has told them where vapes should go. Clear rules and a simple route back would make life easier for them and for us." Practical circularity relies on clear and accessible processes. If you want to know more about any of the issues within this blog or advice on a changing regulatory landscape, speak to a First Mile consultant who will provide you with free and practical advice. Why cannot used vapes go into regular business recycling bins? Vapes contain rechargeable lithium-ion batteries alongside plastic, glass and circuit boards. When compressed inside general waste or dry mixed recycling compactors, lithium batteries can spark and cause intense, fast-spreading fires. They must always be collected in dedicated, spark-proof containers. What is the most effective way to dispose of vapes in the workplace? Are UK retailers legally required to take back old vapes? What happens to a vape during the recycling process? Is the UK planning to introduce a deposit scheme for vapes?