Key tasks for EU waste classification according to the new legislative framework

Presentation, Cyprus 2016

Article, Cyprus 2016

4th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management

23rd – 25th June 2016 Limassol, Cyprus

The EU’s vision of a circular economy aims to secure access to resources, reinvent the economy by means of competiveness and sustainability, as well as to bring benefits for both the human health and the environment. The Circular Economy covers the whole life cycle of a material: from production and consumption to waste management and the market for secondary raw materials. Currently, a review of key targets in EU waste legislation has been conducted, in order to reinforce and simplify the existing procedures of waste classification. The proper waste classification includes the waste evaluation and its hazard properties, which is a key task that affects waste producers, waste holders, and competent authorities.

The hazardous waste classification that is based on the Waste Framework Directive (EC) 2008/98 has been affected by the Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 on the Classification Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures. In particular, the properties that render waste hazardous have been updated by the Commission Regulation (EU) 1357/2014, which replaces the Annex III to Directive 2008/98/EC. The scope of this replacement was to implement the rules of classification of mixtures as hazardous and to set strict limit values concentration. Furthermore, Commission Decision (EC) 2000/532 (European List of Waste) has been revised by EU Decision (EU) 2014/955.

The hazard assessment of a waste is based on 15(HP1 to HP15) of the Annex to Regulation (EU) 1357/2014, which must be separately examined. (The new regulation the hazardous properties H1 to H15, as defined in Annex III to Directive (EC) 2008/98, were renamed as HP1 to HP15). The assessment starts with the investigation and identification of hazardous ingredients, which may be contained in the waste and compare their content based on the limit values defined in Regulation 1357/2014/EU. If necessary, the risk assessment may require of specific tests per hazardous property for the waste.

Eco-Efficiency Consulting & Engineering may help you on the procedure and the approaches to determine EU waste classification.