The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency (EA) are introducing the Mandatory Digital Waste Tracking Service (DWTS) to replace the outdated system of paper Waste Transfer Notes (WTNs) and Hazardous Waste Consignment Notes (HWCNs). The goal is to eliminate an estimated £1 billion annual cost of waste crime in the UK.

The change in the definition of backfilling in the revised Waste Framework Directive of 2018 reflects the need to address the quality and environmental impact of recovery operations related to construction and demolition waste (C&DW). The original definition, as per Commission Decision 2011/753/EU, described backfilling as a recovery operation where suitable waste is used for reclamation or engineering purposes in excavated areas or landscaping, serving as a substitute for non-waste materials.