Digital Waste Tracking for Metal Recycling Made Easy
Digital waste tracking for metal recycling doesn't have to mean more paperwork. Metal recycling yards are permitted receiving sites with high load volumes, so Phase 1 digital waste tracking hits every weighbridge ticket. We build a bespoke app around how your business works, so every job, weight and signature is captured once, digital waste transfer notes are sent automatically and your Defra records are submitted on time.
How Digital Waste Tracking for Metal Recycling Works
Metal recycling yards receive a steady stream of loads, from mobile collectors with a van full of mixed metal to trade customers delivering skips of steel. Every one is a receipt of waste that must now be reported to Defra within 2 working days, alongside the records already required under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act.
Digital waste tracking for metal recycling works best when the weighbridge or counter ticket is the record. Our app captures the customer, carrier, vehicle, metal grade, EWC code and weight at the point of receipt, and turns each ticket into a Defra submission automatically.
High-Volume Weighbridge Tickets Reported Automatically
Busy yards can process hundreds of tickets a day. Re-entering them into a separate system isn't realistic. Our app connects to your weighbridge or replaces paper tickets with a fast gatehouse screen. When the ticket is completed, the Defra record is drafted, validated and submitted, and the deadline is tracked automatically. Rejections are flagged with a clear reason so they can be fixed quickly.
Grades, Bales and Onward Sales
Yards buy by grade and sell by grade. The app records incoming material by grade, tracks it into stock, bales or containers, and records outgoing sales to mills, merchants and exporters. You can see stock levels by grade, margins per load and a full audit trail from purchase to sale.
Multi-Site Yards on One System
Many recyclers run several yards. One system can serve them all, using your organisation's single Defra API code, with stock, tickets and reporting by yard and a group view for management.
When Metal Recycling Yards Must Comply
Metal recycling yards are permitted receiving sites, so they're in Phase 1. Digital waste tracking became mandatory on 1 October 2026 in England and Wales, and applies from 1 January 2027 in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Every load received must be reported within 2 working days.
When Phase 2 arrives, planned for October 2027, your own collection vehicles will also need to record the waste they carry.
EWC Codes and Records for Metal Recycling Yards
Common codes in metal recycling include:
The right code depends on where the metal came from. Always confirm against the official List of Wastes.
A Bespoke App for Metal Recycling Yards
A metal recycling app can include:
Gatehouse and weighbridge ticketing
with grades, photos and ID checks
Scrap Metal Dealers Act records
including seller identification and cashless payment
Stock and grade management
Sales and despatch
to mills and merchants
Collection rounds
for your own vehicles
Automatic Defra digital waste tracking
for every load received
Multi-yard reporting
From Paper to Digital Without the Headache
If your yard relies on handwritten tickets or an old system that can't talk to Defra, we can move you onto a modern system quickly, starting with the gatehouse and Defra integration, then adding stock, sales and collections.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We don't sell boxes of software. We build the app your business actually needs.
Book a free, no-obligation demo and talk it through with someone who understands commercial waste management.
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