What is an EWC Code?
The EWC is the European Waste Catalogue, a detailed list of waste descriptions (EWC Codes) compiled by the EAUC, the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges. The EAUC is a not-for-profit charity who acted upon Commission Decision 2000/532/EC, which had the intention of creating the EWC in an attempt to have a more well rounded knowledge of waste as to treat it better.
As you’d expect, EWC Codes are the six-digit titles assigned to each waste. Simple right? Within the catalogue are twenty chapters, each describing either an industry, a material type or a process. Each chapter, 01-20, gives two digits, which you will find at the start of an EWC code. For example, 01 refers to Mining, Quarrying and Mineral Treatment, whereas 15 relates to Packaging, Absorbents, Wiping Cloths and Filters.
Within each chapter, you will find the full codes for each of the related materials to that industry or grouping. Take 15 again, as an example. Here are the relevant waste codes:
Packaging waste
15 01 01 paper and cardboard packaging
15 01 02 plastic packaging
15 01 03 wooden packaging
15 01 04 metallic packaging
15 01 05 composite packaging
15 01 06 mixed packaging
15 01 07 glass packaging
All non-hazardous waste follows this format, however, hazardous waste is entered into the EWC with one small difference: an asterisk. The asterisk is red, and signifies that the waste is always hazardous; it is known as an ‘Absolute Entry’.
How are they used?
The EWC Codes are used by any person or business that collects or handles controlled waste, within their ‘Duty of Care’ . Their waste must be assigned to a waste transfer note or a consignment note. Within these documents, a description of the waste must be given, this is separate to the EWC code. What must be described depends on the waste, who is collecting it and where it is going to. The EWC is used as a european standard to better record, monitor and control the movement of waste, as to avoid any major waste hazards.
Are you legally obliged?
In 2005, the EWC Codes for hazardous and non-hazardous waste were transposed into UK regulations and legislation via the List of Wastes Regulations. The correct use of the codes is designed to help protect health and safety, improve waste reporting and provide long term benefits to the environment. In case you have read differently, you ARE legally obliged to use the EWC codes, under the Duty of Care legislation for England and Wales, but only if it applies to your business.
Also within the Duty of Care legislation, it is stated that licensed waste holders, which includes producers, carriers and disposers, take all possible steps to avoid unauthorised deposits, treatments, the keeping of or disposal of any controlled waste.They must also ensure that the waste does not escape from their control and may only be transferred to an authorised person. As well as taking good care of the waste, you are legally obliged to describe the waste and give it the appropriate codes, so that whoever receives the waste next is aware of the relevant properties and can handle it with the appropriate knowledge.
How large is the catalogue?
The European Waste Catalogue contains over 650 different codes, spread across 20 chapters. Within most of the EWC codes, you will find a list of materials that are associated with that code, meaning that there are thousands of waste types to be found!
How to choose a European Waste Catalogue Code
The Environment Agency have specified four steps to adhere to when choosing an EWC code
Identify where in chapters 01-12 or 17-20 the waste is produced, and in which industry or process the waste arose from, like construction, agriculture or household. With this knowledge, find the appropriate six-digit code, excluding codes ending in 99.
If you cannot find your waste code in any of these chapters, try chapters 13, 14 and 15. These three chapters cover ‘Oil and liquid fuel wastes’, ‘Solvents, refrigerators and propellants’ and ‘Packaging, absorbents, wiping cloths and filters’.
If your waste code is still yet to be found, see chapter 16, describing ‘other wastes from industrial processes’. This includes things like end of life vehicles and components containing mercury.
The final step, if your waste cannot be found, is to choose a 99 code from the appropriate chapter (see step one).
Kompakt & EWC Codes
It’s almost inevitable that if you are handling any sort of waste, you will require machinery to collect, store and treat it. One activity that most waste requires is compaction, to make it more spatially efficient for travel. Some of the common codes that the waste our baling equipment and compaction equipment handles are listed below. See if they apply to you:
General waste
20 03 01 general mixed waste including commercial waste and municipal waste
20 01 01 paper and cardboard
20 01 02 glass
20 01 08 biodegradable kitchen and canteen waste
Packaging waste
15 01 01 paper and cardboard packaging
15 01 02 plastic packaging
15 01 03 wooden packaging
15 01 04 metallic packaging
15 01 05 composite packaging
15 01 06 mixed packaging
15 01 07 glass packaging
More about ‘the description’
We mentioned earlier that any collector of waste must provide, or be provided with a description of the waste they are giving or receiving.
Here’s what to include:
The EWC Code, which you may sometimes see referred to by its old name LoW.
If it’s hazardous or not
The type of premises or business in which the waste was produced
The name of the substance/s
Which process produced the waste
A chemical or physical analysis
Anything else that seems to be relevant to the waste, such as additional knowledge or requirements for handling.
Is your waste hazardous?
If, for some reason, you cannot access the EWC, there are other indicators of whether your waste is hazardous or not. Many products are kindly labelled with danger of hazard symbols, or with particular guidance about how to treat the product if it could be deemed as dangerous.