What Is an EWC Code? How to Find the Right One for Your Waste

Every waste transfer note, hazardous waste consignment note and DEFRA Digital Waste Tracking Service record requires at least one EWC code. Getting it wrong is one of the most common compliance errors waste companies make — and one of the easiest to avoid once you understand how the catalogue is structured.

This guide explains what an EWC code is, how the six-digit numbering system works, how to find the right code for your waste, and what to do when more than one code seems to fit. All codes referenced come from the UK technical guidance WM3 published by the Environment Agency and from the List of Wastes (England) Regulations 2005 (as amended).

What is an EWC code?

EWC stands for European Waste Catalogue. It is a harmonised list of waste descriptions used across the UK and European Union to classify waste by its origin and type. In England, Wales and Scotland the list is known as the List of Wastes (LoW) and carries the same six-digit codes.

The purpose of EWC codes is to provide a consistent, unambiguous way to describe waste on regulatory documents. A Waste Transfer Note for "mixed office waste" means different things to different people. Code 20 03 01 (mixed municipal waste) means exactly the same thing to the Environment Agency, a receiving site and a DEFRA digital tracking submission.

EWC codes are required on:

• Waste Transfer Notes (WTNs) for non-hazardous waste
• Hazardous waste consignment notes
• Environmental permit applications and returns
• DEFRA Digital Waste Tracking Service records (from October 2026 for receiving sites)
• Waste data returns and reports to the Environment Agency

How the six-digit code is structured

EWC codes follow a three-tier hierarchy. Reading left to right, each pair of digits narrows the description:

The first two digits — Chapter (waste source)

The chapter describes the broad origin of the waste. There are 20 chapters covering industries and waste types from mineral mining (01) to municipal solid waste (20). The chapter does not describe what the waste is — it describes where it comes from.

Examples:

• 02 — wastes from agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, forestry, hunting, fishing, food preparation and processing
• 08 — wastes from the manufacture, formulation, supply and use of coatings (paints, varnishes and vitreous enamels), adhesives, sealants and printing inks
• 16 — wastes not otherwise specified in the list (this is where end-of-life vehicles, batteries, electrical equipment and many mixed streams sit)
• 17 — construction and demolition wastes (including excavated soil from contaminated sites)
• 20 — municipal wastes (household waste and similar commercial, industrial and institutional wastes)

The middle two digits — Sub-chapter (process or material)

Within a chapter, the sub-chapter identifies the specific process or material type. For example, within Chapter 20 (municipal waste):

• 20 01 — separately collected fractions (except 15 01)
• 20 02 — garden and park wastes (including cemetery waste)
• 20 03 — other municipal wastes

The final two digits — The specific waste type

The last pair narrows to the specific waste stream. Within sub-chapter 20 01:

• 20 01 01 — paper and cardboard
• 20 01 02 — glass
• 20 01 08 — biodegradable kitchen and canteen waste
• 20 01 21* — fluorescent tubes and other mercury-containing waste (hazardous — note the asterisk)
• 20 01 36 — discarded electrical and electronic equipment other than those mentioned in 20 01 21, 20 01 23 and 20 01 35

The asterisk — how hazardous waste is flagged

Any EWC code followed by an asterisk (*) is classified as absolute hazardous waste. It is always hazardous regardless of its composition and requires a hazardous waste consignment note rather than a standard WTN.

Some waste streams appear twice in the list — once with an asterisk and once without. These are called mirror entries. A mirror entry means the waste is hazardous only if it contains hazardous substances above certain thresholds. You have to test or have sufficient knowledge of the waste to decide which code applies.

Example mirror pair for waste paint:

• 08 01 11* — waste paint and varnish containing organic solvents or other hazardous substances (hazardous)
• 08 01 12 — waste paint and varnish other than those mentioned in 08 01 11 (non-hazardous)

If you cannot determine which mirror entry applies, consult the Environment Agency's waste classification guidance WM3 and, if necessary, arrange a waste characterisation test.

The 20 chapters of the European Waste Catalogue

Here is a reference summary of all 20 chapters to help you locate the right starting point for any waste type:

• 01 — Wastes from exploration, mining, quarrying, physical and chemical treatment of minerals
• 02 — Wastes from agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, forestry, hunting, fishing, food preparation and processing
• 03 — Wastes from wood processing and the production of panels and furniture, pulp, paper and cardboard
• 04 — Wastes from the leather, fur and textile industries
• 05 — Wastes from petroleum refining, natural gas purification and pyrolytic treatment of coal
• 06 — Wastes from inorganic chemical processes
• 07 — Wastes from organic chemical processes
• 08 — Wastes from manufacture, formulation, supply and use of coatings, adhesives, sealants and printing inks
• 09 — Wastes from the photographic industry
• 10 — Wastes from thermal processes (incineration, combustion, heat treatment)
• 11 — Wastes from chemical surface treatment and coating of metals and other materials; non-ferrous hydrometallurgy
• 12 — Wastes from shaping and physical and mechanical surface treatment of metals and plastics
• 13 — Oil wastes and wastes of liquid fuels (except edible oils, 05 and 12)
• 14 — Wastes from organic solvents, refrigerants and propellants (except 07 and 08)
• 15 — Waste packaging; absorbents, wiping cloths, filter materials and protective clothing not otherwise specified
• 16 — Wastes not otherwise specified in the list (batteries, electrical equipment, end-of-life vehicles, mixed wastes)
• 17 — Construction and demolition wastes (including excavated soil from contaminated sites)
• 18 — Wastes from human or animal health care and/or related research (not including kitchen and restaurant wastes not arising from immediate health care)
• 19 — Wastes from waste management facilities, off-site waste water treatment plants and the preparation of water intended for human consumption and water for industrial use
• 20 — Municipal wastes (household waste and similar commercial, industrial and institutional wastes) including separately collected fractions

Common EWC codes for waste carriers and WEEE operators

The following codes appear regularly on waste transfer notes and WEEE collection records in the UK. They are reproduced from the List of Wastes as published in UK legislation.

General waste streams — Chapter 20

• 20 01 01 — paper and cardboard
• 20 01 02 — glass
• 20 01 10 — clothing
• 20 01 11 — textiles
• 20 01 21* — fluorescent tubes and other mercury-containing waste (hazardous)
• 20 01 23* — discarded equipment containing chlorofluorocarbons (hazardous)
• 20 01 25 — edible oil and fat
• 20 01 26* — oil and fat other than those mentioned in 20 01 25 (hazardous)
• 20 01 27* — paint, inks, adhesives and resins containing hazardous substances (hazardous)
• 20 01 28 — paint, inks, adhesives and resins other than those mentioned in 20 01 27
• 20 01 33* — batteries and accumulators included in 16 06 01, 16 06 02 or 16 06 03 and unsorted batteries and accumulators containing these batteries (hazardous)
• 20 01 34 — batteries and accumulators other than those mentioned in 20 01 33
• 20 01 35* — discarded electrical and electronic equipment other than those mentioned in 20 01 21 and 20 01 23 containing hazardous components (hazardous)
• 20 01 36 — discarded electrical and electronic equipment other than those mentioned in 20 01 21, 20 01 23 and 20 01 35 (non-hazardous WEEE)
• 20 01 38 — wood other than that mentioned in 20 01 37
• 20 01 39 — plastics
• 20 01 40 — metals
• 20 01 99 — other fractions not otherwise specified
• 20 03 01 — mixed municipal waste
• 20 03 07 — bulky waste

WEEE — electrical and electronic equipment

WEEE collected from businesses (B2B WEEE) under the WEEE Regulations 2013 (as amended) is typically coded from Chapter 16:

• 16 02 09* — transformers and capacitors containing PCBs (hazardous)
• 16 02 10* — discarded equipment containing or contaminated by PCBs other than those mentioned in 16 02 09 (hazardous)
• 16 02 11* — discarded equipment containing chlorofluorocarbons, HCFC, HFC (hazardous)
• 16 02 12* — discarded equipment containing free asbestos (hazardous)
• 16 02 13* — discarded equipment containing hazardous components other than those mentioned in 16 02 09 to 16 02 12 (hazardous)
• 16 02 14 — discarded equipment other than those mentioned in 16 02 09 to 16 02 13 (non-hazardous B2B WEEE)
• 16 02 15* — hazardous components removed from discarded equipment (hazardous)
• 16 02 16 — components removed from discarded equipment other than those mentioned in 16 02 15

Household WEEE (B2C) collected via local authority or producer compliance schemes usually uses the 20 01 xx codes above. If you are a WEEE treatment facility or authorised treatment facility (ATF), confirm the correct code set with your permit conditions.

Packaging waste — Chapter 15

• 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
• 15 01 10* — packaging containing residues of or contaminated by hazardous substances (hazardous)
• 15 01 11* — metallic packaging containing a hazardous solid porous matrix (for example asbestos), including empty pressure containers (hazardous)

Construction and demolition — Chapter 17

• 17 01 01 — concrete
• 17 01 02 — bricks
• 17 01 03 — tiles and ceramics
• 17 01 07 — mixtures of concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics other than those mentioned in 17 01 06
• 17 02 01 — wood
• 17 02 02 — glass
• 17 02 03 — plastic
• 17 04 05 — iron and steel
• 17 04 07 — mixed metals
• 17 09 04 — mixed construction and demolition wastes other than those mentioned in 17 09 01, 17 09 02 and 17 09 03

How to find the right EWC code in four steps

The Environment Agency recommends working through the List of Wastes in a specific order. Do not start with the waste material — start with where the waste came from.

Step 1: Identify the production process, not the material

Ask: what industry or activity produced this waste? A piece of copper cable from a demolition site is coded under Chapter 17 (construction and demolition). The same copper cable from a cable manufacturing plant is coded under Chapter 17 only if it arose from site strip-out — if it is manufacturing scrap it would be in Chapter 12 (metal treatment) or Chapter 17 if it is demolition material.

Work through chapters 01 to 19 first. Only use Chapter 20 (municipal waste) for waste from households and for commercial waste that is genuinely similar to household waste in composition.

Step 2: Find the most specific sub-chapter that matches

Within the relevant chapter, look for the sub-chapter that reflects the process most accurately. Avoid landing in "xx xx 99 — wastes not otherwise specified" if a more specific entry exists.

Step 3: Apply the mirror entry test for hazardous codes

If you reach a code with an asterisk, check whether there is a non-asterisk mirror entry. If there is, you need to determine whether the waste meets the hazardous threshold. The EA's WM3 guidance sets out the hazard properties (HP1 to HP15) and how to assess them. If in doubt, treat the waste as hazardous and seek advice.

Step 4: Document your reasoning

You do not have to show your working to the Environment Agency on every note, but if your classification is ever questioned you need to demonstrate how you arrived at the code. Keep a brief record of why you chose the code for unusual streams or large volumes.

Multiple EWC codes on one waste transfer note

A single collection can legitimately have more than one EWC code where mixed waste types are collected together. Each code should be listed separately on the WTN with its associated quantity. A vehicle collecting both cardboard (20 01 01) and mixed metals (20 01 40) from the same premises in the same load should list both codes with approximate weights for each.

Do not compress mixed loads into 20 03 01 (mixed municipal waste) if you know the composition of the load — it is less accurate and provides less useful data for your permit holder and for DEFRA's digital tracking system.

EWC codes and the DEFRA Digital Waste Tracking Service

From October 2026 receiving sites must report each inbound load to the Digital Waste Tracking Service. The DWTS record requires the EWC code for every load. The code stored in your waste management software should match exactly what you report to DWTS — there is no conversion step and no room for "we use different codes internally."

Accurate EWC coding now reduces the risk of rejected submissions to DWTS once the mandate is live. If your waste records currently use plain descriptions instead of six-digit codes, this is the time to fix the gap.

See our guide on who needs DWTS compliance in 2026 and what records must be kept under digital waste tracking rules for the full picture.

EWC codes and waste transfer notes

The Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991 (as amended) require a WTN for the transfer of controlled waste. The WTN must describe the waste in a way that allows it to be identified — in practice this means including the EWC code alongside the plain-language description.

Guidance from the Environment Agency confirms that using the correct EWC code on the WTN is the expected standard. A WTN that says "mixed waste" with no code provides limited audit protection if a load is later traced to an illegal site. Read our full guide on waste transfer notes in 2026.

Where to find the official UK List of Wastes

The definitive UK reference documents are:

• Environment Agency waste classification guidance (WM3) — explains hazardous properties HP1 to HP15 and how to classify difficult or mixed streams
• The List of Wastes (England) Regulations 2005 schedule — the full legal list of all EWC codes with asterisks marked
• Natural Resources Wales waste classification guidance
• SEPA waste classification guidance (Scotland)

These are the authoritative sources. If a code in this post differs from the current legislation, the legislation governs.

How WEEE Manager handles EWC codes

WEEE Manager stores EWC codes against every waste record — transfer notes, inbound receipts and WEEE collection records. The code is selected at the point of data entry and carries through to the completed WTN and to DEFRA Digital Waste Tracking Service submissions. There is no separate coding step and no manual mapping between your internal records and the government's system.

The Android app shows EWC codes and quantities on each job card so drivers know exactly what they are collecting and receiving sites have usable details on arrival rather than waiting for paperwork to catch up.