Disposal & recovery code
R3Recycling/reclamation of organic substances which are not used as solvents (including composting and other biological transformation processes)
R3 is one of the 13 recovery operations (R1–R13) DEFRA recognises: recycling/reclamation of organic substances which are not used as solvents (including composting and other biological transformation processes). It records what happened to the waste at its destination, and is required on every movement filed to the digital waste tracking service.
- Code
- R3
- Operation type
- Recovery (R code)
Sourced from DEFRA’s digital waste tracking reference data, last checked 25 July 2026.
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Other disposal & recovery codes
- R1Use principally as a fuel or other means to generate energy
- R2Solvent reclamation/regeneration
- R4Recycling/reclamation of metals and metal compounds
- R5Recycling/reclamation of other inorganic materials
- R6Regeneration of acids or bases
- R7Recovery of components used for pollution abatement
- R8Recovery of components from catalysts
- R9Oil re-refining or other reuses of oil
- R10Land treatment resulting in benefit to agriculture or ecological improvement
- R11Use of wastes obtained from any of the operations numbered R1 to R10
- R12Exchange of wastes for submission to any of the operations numbered R1 to R11
- R13Storage of wastes pending any of the operations numbered R1 to R12 (excluding temporary storage, pending collection, on the site where it is produced)