EWC chapter 02: food and agricultural waste codes explained
Last updated 5 October 2026
In short
EWC chapter 02 covers wastes from agriculture, horticulture, food preparation and processing in 38 six-digit codes across 7 subcategories (02 01 to 02 07). Only one is hazardous: 02 01 08* (agrochemical waste containing hazardous substances). Nearly all food-industry and farm waste is non-hazardous.
Farms, food processors, breweries and dairies all generate waste covered by EWC chapter 02 — but almost none of it is hazardous. Getting the code right is still critical: an incorrect EWC on the transfer note is a regulatory offence and a potential block on Digital Waste Tracking submissions. Here are all 38 codes, which one is hazardous, and the records each requires.
What is EWC chapter 02?
The EWC codes used in the UK are set out in the List of Wastes (England) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/895), with equivalent instruments for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Every waste transfer note and hazardous waste consignment note must carry the correct six-digit EWC code. Chapter 02's almost entirely non-hazardous profile means most food businesses and farms use standard waste transfer notes — not consignment notes — for the bulk of what they produce.
| Subcategory | Covers | Codes | Hazardous |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02 01 | Agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, forestry, hunting & fishing | 10 | 1 |
| 02 02 | Meat, fish & other foods of animal origin processing | 5 | 0 |
| 02 03 | Fruit, vegetables, cereals, oils, cocoa, coffee, tea, tobacco, conserves, yeast, molasses | 6 | 0 |
| 02 04 | Sugar processing | 4 | 0 |
| 02 05 | Dairy products industry | 3 | 0 |
| 02 06 | Baking and confectionery industry | 4 | 0 |
| 02 07 | Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (excl. coffee, tea, cocoa) | 6 | 0 |
| Total | 38 | 1 |
EWC chapter 02 contains 38 codes across 7 subcategories. Only one is hazardous — 02 01 08* (agrochemical waste containing hazardous substances). All other 37 codes are non-hazardous.
What are the EWC 02 01 codes for agriculture and horticulture?
| EWC code | Description | Hazardous? |
|---|---|---|
| 02 01 01 | Sludges from washing and cleaning | No |
| 02 01 02 | Animal-tissue waste | No |
| 02 01 03 | Plant-tissue waste | No |
| 02 01 04 | Waste plastics (except packaging) | No |
| 02 01 06 | Animal faeces, urine and manure (including spoiled straw), effluent, collected separately and treated off-site | No |
| 02 01 07 | Wastes from forestry | No |
| 02 01 08 * | Agrochemical waste containing hazardous substances | Yes |
| 02 01 09 | Agrochemical waste other than those mentioned in 02 01 08 | No |
| 02 01 10 | Waste metal | No |
| 02 01 99 | Wastes not otherwise specified | No |
There is no code 02 01 05 — the sequence jumps from 02 01 04 to 02 01 06. This is a known gap in the EWC numbering. Code 02 01 06 is the standard code for farm slurry and manure collected and taken off-site for treatment.
When does the hazardous code 02 01 08* apply?
The waste producer must assess whether their agrochemical waste contains hazardous substances before assigning one of these mirror codes. Waste classified as 02 01 08* is hazardous and requires a hazardous waste consignment note (not a standard waste transfer note), a carrier registered for hazardous waste collection, and records kept for at least 3 years. The Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 and equivalent devolved regulations apply.
What are the EWC codes for food-processing waste (02 02 to 02 07)?
A recurring description across five of these subcategories is "materials unsuitable for consumption or processing" (codes 02 02 03, 02 03 04, 02 05 01, 02 06 01, 02 07 04). This is the correct code for rejected batches, date-expired stock, contaminated product and quality-fail waste. The right code is the one that matches the processing activity where the waste was produced.
| EWC code | Description |
|---|---|
| 02 02 — Meat, fish & foods of animal origin | |
| 02 02 01 | Sludges from washing and cleaning |
| 02 02 02 | Animal tissue waste |
| 02 02 03 | Materials unsuitable for consumption or processing |
| 02 02 04 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment |
| 02 02 99 | Wastes not otherwise specified |
| 02 03 — Fruit, vegetables, cereals, oils, cocoa, coffee, tea, tobacco, conserves, yeast, molasses | |
| 02 03 01 | Sludges from washing, cleaning, peeling, centrifuging and separation |
| 02 03 02 | Wastes from preserving agents |
| 02 03 03 | Wastes from solvent extraction |
| 02 03 04 | Materials unsuitable for consumption or processing |
| 02 03 05 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment |
| 02 03 99 | Wastes not otherwise specified |
| 02 04 — Sugar processing | |
| 02 04 01 | Soil from cleaning and washing beet |
| 02 04 02 | Off-specification calcium carbonate |
| 02 04 03 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment |
| 02 04 99 | Wastes not otherwise specified |
| 02 05 — Dairy products industry | |
| 02 05 01 | Materials unsuitable for consumption or processing |
| 02 05 02 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment |
| 02 05 99 | Wastes not otherwise specified |
| 02 06 — Baking and confectionery industry | |
| 02 06 01 | Materials unsuitable for consumption or processing |
| 02 06 02 | Wastes from preserving agents |
| 02 06 03 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment |
| 02 06 99 | Wastes not otherwise specified |
| 02 07 — Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (excl. coffee, tea, cocoa) | |
| 02 07 01 | Wastes from washing, cleaning and mechanical reduction of raw materials |
| 02 07 02 | Wastes from spirits distillation |
| 02 07 03 | Wastes from chemical treatment |
| 02 07 04 | Materials unsuitable for consumption or processing |
| 02 07 05 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment |
| 02 07 99 | Wastes not otherwise specified |
What EWC code should I use for waste food or out-of-date stock?
Food retailers, restaurants, office canteens and caterers generating mixed food waste are not food-processing facilities. Their food waste falls outside chapter 02 and is typically classified under chapter 20 (municipal waste) — for example, 20 01 08 for biodegradable kitchen and canteen waste. Chapter 02 codes apply to the production and processing side of the food chain, not the consumption end.
What records are required for chapter 02 waste?
- Waste transfer note (non-hazardous): required for all 37 non-hazardous chapter 02 codes. The waste producer and the carrier must each retain a copy for at least 2 years and produce it on request. This obligation arises from s.34 Environmental Protection Act 1990.
- Hazardous waste consignment note: required for 02 01 08* only. Producer, carrier and receiving site each retain copies for at least 3 years.
- Carrier registration: any business transporting chapter 02 waste for others must be registered as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency (England), Natural Resources Wales, SEPA (Scotland) or NIEA (Northern Ireland).
- Digital Waste Tracking (receivers): permitted sites receiving chapter 02 waste must record a Receipt of Waste in DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking service from 1 October 2026 in England and Wales (1 January 2027 in Northern Ireland and Scotland). Waste carriers come into scope from October 2027.
This guide is general information about EWC chapter 02 waste codes and is not legal advice. For site-specific classification questions — particularly whether a specific agrochemical waste is hazardous — consult your environmental regulator or a specialist waste classification adviser and check against the primary sources below.
Frequently asked questions
- What is EWC chapter 02?
- EWC chapter 02 covers wastes from agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, forestry, hunting and fishing, and food preparation and processing. It contains 38 six-digit codes across 7 subcategories (02 01 through 02 07). Only one code is hazardous: 02 01 08* (agrochemical waste containing hazardous substances).
- Which EWC chapter 02 codes are hazardous?
- Only one code in chapter 02 is hazardous: 02 01 08* (agrochemical waste containing hazardous substances — pesticides, herbicides, fungicides with dangerous constituents). Its non-hazardous mirror is 02 01 09. All other 37 codes in chapter 02 are non-hazardous.
- What EWC code should I use for waste food or out-of-date stock?
- The correct code depends on where the food was produced. Food-processing facilities should use: 02 02 03 for rejected meat or fish; 02 03 04 for fruit or vegetable waste; 02 05 01 for dairy; 02 06 01 for bakery or confectionery; or 02 07 04 for brewery or distillery waste. All 'materials unsuitable for consumption or processing' codes across chapter 02 are non-hazardous. Mixed food waste from restaurants or offices is usually 20 01 08.
- What EWC code covers animal manure, slurry and farmyard waste?
- Animal faeces, urine and manure (including spoiled straw) and effluent collected separately and treated off-site is EWC code 02 01 06. It is non-hazardous. Manure spread directly on land as a fertiliser without leaving the farm may not be controlled waste — consult your regulator if in doubt.
- What records are needed for chapter 02 waste?
- All chapter 02 waste except 02 01 08* requires a standard waste transfer note, retained by both producer and carrier for at least 2 years. Agrochemical waste classified as 02 01 08* (hazardous) requires a hazardous waste consignment note, retained for at least 3 years by producer, carrier and receiving site. In both cases the carrier must be registered as a waste carrier.
Related guides
This guide is general information from ComplyWaste, not legal advice. Always check the primary sources for your situation.