Reference
UK European Waste Catalogue (EWC) Codes
Every waste transfer note in the UK requires an EWC code — a six-digit classifier from the European Waste Catalogue that identifies the waste stream. Describe your waste in plain English below and our AI search will suggest the closest codes, or browse all 153 entries grouped by chapter. Codes marked hazardous require a Hazardous Waste Consignment Note rather than a standard WTN.
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AI suggestions are a starting point, not legal advice. The waste carrier remains responsible for selecting the correct EWC code under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Browse all 153 codes by chapter
Prefer to browse? Jump into any of the 20 EWC chapters.
01 0101 0302 0103 0103 0304 0104 0205 0106 0107 0108 0108 0309 0110 0110 1312 0113 0113 0214 0615 0115 0216 0116 0216 0516 0617 0117 0217 0317 0417 0517 0617 0817 0918 0120 0120 0220 03
01 01Wastes from mineral excavation
01 03Wastes from physical and chemical processing of metalliferous minerals
02 01Wastes from agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, forestry, hunting and fishing
- 02 01 01sludges from washing and cleaning
- 02 01 02animal-tissue waste
- 02 01 03plant-tissue waste
- 02 01 04waste plastics (except packaging)
- 02 01 06animal faeces, urine and manure (including spoiled straw), effluent, collected separately and treated off-site
- 02 01 07wastes from forestry
- 02 01 08agrochemical waste containing dangerous substanceshazardous
- 02 01 09agrochemical waste other than those mentioned in 02 01 08
- 02 01 10waste metal
03 01Wastes from wood processing and the production of panels and furniture
03 03Wastes from pulp, paper and cardboard production and processing
04 01Wastes from the leather and fur industry
04 02Wastes from the textile industry
05 01Wastes from petroleum refining, natural gas purification and pyrolytic treatment of coal
06 01Waste acidic solutions
07 01Wastes from manufacture, formulation, supply and use of basic organic chemicals
08 01Wastes from manufacture, formulation, supply and use and removal of paint and varnish
08 03Wastes from manufacture, formulation, supply and use of printing inks
09 01Wastes from the photographic industry
10 01Wastes from power stations and other combustion plants (except 19)
10 13Wastes from manufacture of cement, lime and plaster and articles and products made from them
12 01Wastes from shaping and physical and mechanical surface treatment of metals and plastics
13 01Waste hydraulic oils
13 02Waste engine, gear and lubricating oils
14 06Waste organic solvents, refrigerants and foam/aerosol propellants
15 01Packaging (including separately collected municipal packaging waste)
15 02Absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective clothing
16 01End-of-life vehicles (ELV)
- 16 01 03end-of-life tyres
- 16 01 04end-of-life vehicleshazardous
- 16 01 06end-of-life vehicles, containing neither liquids nor other hazardous components
- 16 01 07oil filtershazardous
- 16 01 08components containing mercuryhazardous
- 16 01 09components containing PCBshazardous
- 16 01 17ferrous metal
- 16 01 18non-ferrous metal
- 16 01 19plastic
- 16 01 20glass
16 02Wastes from electrical and electronic equipment
16 05Gases in pressure containers and discarded chemicals
16 06Batteries and accumulators
17 01Concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics
17 02Wood, glass and plastic
17 03Bituminous mixtures, coal tar and tarred products
17 04Metals (including their alloys)
- 17 04 01copper, bronze, brass
- 17 04 02aluminium
- 17 04 03lead
- 17 04 04zinc
- 17 04 05iron and steel
- 17 04 06tin
- 17 04 07mixed metals
- 17 04 09metal waste contaminated with dangerous substanceshazardous
- 17 04 10cables containing oil, coal tar and other dangerous substanceshazardous
- 17 04 11cables other than those mentioned in 17 04 10
17 05Soil (including excavated soil from contaminated sites), stones and dredging spoil
- 17 05 01soil and stones containing dangerous substanceshazardous
- 17 05 03soil and stones containing dangerous substanceshazardous
- 17 05 04soil and stones other than those mentioned in 17 05 03
- 17 05 05dredging spoil containing dangerous substanceshazardous
- 17 05 06dredging spoil other than those mentioned in 17 05 05
- 17 05 07track ballast containing dangerous substanceshazardous
- 17 05 08track ballast other than those mentioned in 17 05 07
17 06Insulation materials and asbestos-containing construction materials
17 08Gypsum-based construction material
17 09Other construction and demolition wastes
- 17 09 01construction and demolition wastes containing mercuryhazardous
- 17 09 02construction and demolition wastes containing PCBhazardous
- 17 09 03other construction and demolition wastes (including mixed wastes) containing dangerous substanceshazardous
- 17 09 04mixed construction and demolition wastes other than those mentioned in 17 09 01, 17 09 02 and 17 09 03
18 01Wastes from natal care, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of disease in humans
- 18 01 01sharps (except 18 01 03)
- 18 01 02body parts and organs including blood bags and blood preserves (except 18 01 03)
- 18 01 03wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements in order to prevent infectionhazardous
- 18 01 04wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection
20 01Separately collected fractions (except 15 01)
- 20 01 01paper and cardboard
- 20 01 02glass
- 20 01 08biodegradable kitchen and canteen waste
- 20 01 10clothes
- 20 01 11textiles
- 20 01 13solventshazardous
- 20 01 14acidshazardous
- 20 01 15alkalineshazardous
- 20 01 17photochemicalshazardous
- 20 01 19pesticideshazardous
- 20 01 21fluorescent tubes and other mercury-containing wastehazardous
- 20 01 23discarded equipment containing chlorofluorocarbonshazardous
- 20 01 25edible oil and fat
- 20 01 26oil and fat other than those mentioned in 20 01 25hazardous
- 20 01 27paint, inks, adhesives and resins containing dangerous substanceshazardous
- 20 01 28paint, inks, adhesives and resins other than those mentioned in 20 01 27
- 20 01 29detergents containing dangerous substanceshazardous
- 20 01 30detergents other than those mentioned in 20 01 29
- 20 01 31cytotoxic and cytostatic medicineshazardous
- 20 01 32medicines other than those mentioned in 20 01 31
- 20 01 33batteries and accumulators included in 16 06 01, 16 06 02 or 16 06 03 and unsorted batteries and accumulators containing these batterieshazardous
- 20 01 34batteries and accumulators other than those mentioned in 20 01 33
- 20 01 35discarded electrical and electronic equipment other than those mentioned in 20 01 21 and 20 01 23 containing hazardous componentshazardous
- 20 01 36discarded electrical and electronic equipment other than those mentioned in 20 01 21, 20 01 23 and 20 01 35
- 20 01 37wood containing dangerous substanceshazardous
- 20 01 38wood other than that mentioned in 20 01 37
- 20 01 39plastics
- 20 01 40metals
- 20 01 41wastes from chimney sweeping
- 20 01 99other fractions not otherwise specified
20 02Garden and park wastes (including cemetery waste)
20 03Other municipal wastes
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