DIWASS: How to digitalize waste value chain documents

The forthcoming entry into force of DIWASS, Digital Waste Shipment System, represents a structural change in the way organizations manage waste shipment documentation in Europe.

Beyond a regulatory obligation, it introduces a new operating model based on digitization, traceability and electronic exchange of information.

For many organizations, this means rethinking processes, tools and systems to adapt to an environment where paper is disappearing and document management remains critical.

This change does not come about in isolation. It responds to a regulatory evolution aligned with the European objectives of circular economy, emission reduction and control of the environmental impact of waste. In this context, DIWASS acts as the catalyst that transforms regulatory theory into real digital operations.

What is DIWASS?

DIWASS (Digital Waste Shipment System) is the digital system promoted by the European Union to manage the exchange of information on transboundary waste shipments. Its legal basis is Regulation (EU) 2024/1157, which updates the regulatory framework to strengthen environmental control, improve administrative efficiency and combat illegal shipments.

What is relevant is not only that DIWASS digitizes existing processes, but that it redefines how they are managed. Until now, procedures were heavily supported by physical documentation, which generated inefficiencies, errors and lack of visibility. With the new system, all information is now generated, shared and validated electronically.

This change responds to a clear need: to ensure that waste is transported and treated correctly throughout the European Union, avoiding deviations, bad practices or lack of control in the process.

What is the purpose of DIWASS?

This new system has a dual functionality:

• Serve as a central system for operators and authorities that do not yet have their own digital solutions.
• Act as a hub for secure information exchange between national systems, commercial software and the central platform.

All stakeholders connected

DIWASS is not only a platform, but a connection point between all the agents in the waste value chain:

• Producers
• Logistics operators and carriers
• Treatment managers
• Competent authorities

Its design allows both direct use of the platform and integration with proprietary systems.

In addition, DIWASS works with a “common language” that standardizes information and facilitates its exchange between countries, reducing the fragmentation that has existed until now.

When does DIWASS become effective?

The system will be mandatory as of May 21, 2026, from which date all waste shipments within the European Union will have to be handled digitally.

It is not just a matter of adopting a new tool, but of adapting internal processes, ensuring data quality and guaranteeing technological integration.

The case of Spain: total dependence on DIWASS

Spain does not have a national waste management system that connects to DIWASS, which means that all organizations shipping waste across borders have to use DIWASS directly. They can:

• Recording data directly in the DIWASS platform
• Connect your own systems to the European platform through an API.

In either case, digitization is no longer optional and organizations will have to be able to generate, send and manage all documentation in electronic format.

In addition, the new environment introduces stricter operational requirements, such as earlier submission of documents or the need for full traceability for each shipment.

Which documents in the waste value chain should be digitized for DIWASS?

One of the most relevant changes of DIWASS is that it does not digitize “part” of the process, but the entire document cycle associated with the transport of waste.

This mainly affects two main types of documents:

Annex IB or movement document

Annex IB (movement document) is used for shipments requiring prior notification and authorization. It is usual for hazardous wastes or those subject to stricter control.

This document acts as a thread running through the shipment: it collects the information from origin to destination and allows the authorities to verify that the entire process complies with the regulations.

Annex VII: general information

Annex VII applies to lower risk wastes, generally included in the so-called “green list”. Although they do not require prior authorization, they must be accompanied by this document to ensure traceability.

In addition, it must be submitted two working days before the transfer, which introduces a clear need for planning and documentary control.

DIWASS as another example of the digitization of transport documents

We have already seen in previous posts how regulations are shifting towards the complete digitization of transport data. Both in Spain, with the Sustainable Mobility Law and the draft Royal Decree that will modify the ROTT; and in Europe, with the advance of the eFTI Regulation.

Read the post New era of the road: digitization of transport documents in the Sustainable Mobility Act and eFTI Regulation.

The DIWASS case is yet another example of the advance of document digitalization, in this case in the cross-border transportation of waste.

In particular, it reflects a clear trend towards models where traceability, interoperability between systems and real-time data availability are fundamental. In this sense, DIWASS is not an exception, but a natural evolution within an increasingly digital, connected and data-driven ecosystem.

The digitization of transport data is a reality that is advancing without brakes and supply chain companies must be prepared to be able to respond to the new standards of information quality and traceability demanded by the market.

Smart Docs Hub: digitize your documents for DIWASS

With FIELDEAS Track and Trace, in addition to having complete visibility and traceability of transported waste, you can complete, manage and send to DIWASS both Annex VII and Annex IB, thanks to its document digitalization module Smart Docs Hub.