EWC chapter 16: wastes not otherwise specified — codes explained
Last updated 4 September 2026
In short
EWC chapter 16 is the catch-all chapter for wastes not otherwise specified elsewhere in the List of Wastes. It contains 11 subcategories — 16 01 to 16 11 — covering 72 individual six-digit codes, of which 44 are hazardous (marked with an asterisk). The most searched codes include 16 01 03 (waste tyres), 16 02 13* (WEEE with hazardous components), and 16 06 01* (lead batteries).
Chapter 16 of the European Waste Catalogue — retained in UK law as the List of Wastes — is the catch-all chapter for wastes that do not fit anywhere else. It spans everything from waste tyres and end-of-life vehicles to discarded computers, old batteries and spent catalysts. Here is every subcategory, the codes you are most likely to encounter, and how to decide whether chapter 16 is right for your waste transfer note.
What is EWC chapter 16?
The European Waste Catalogue is the master classification system for waste in the UK, adopted as the List of Wastes under separate regulations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Every waste movement must carry the correct six-digit EWC code on the waste transfer note or hazardous waste consignment note.
Chapter 16 is the catch-all chapter — use it only when no code in chapters 01–15 or 17–20 more precisely fits your waste. 44 of its 72 codes are hazardous: waste carrying any asterisked (*) code must travel on a hazardous waste consignment note and be kept for at least 3 years.
What are the 11 subcategories of EWC chapter 16?
| Subcategory | Description | Codes | Hazardous codes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 01 | End-of-life vehicles and vehicle maintenance wastes | 20 | 9 |
| 16 02 | Wastes from electrical and electronic equipment | 8 | 6 |
| 16 03 | Off-specification batches and unused products | 5 | 3 |
| 16 04 | Waste explosives | 3 | 3 (all) |
| 16 05 | Gases in pressure containers and discarded chemicals | 6 | 4 |
| 16 06 | Batteries and accumulators | 6 | 4 |
| 16 07 | Wastes from transport tank, storage tank and barrel cleaning | 3 | 2 |
| 16 08 | Spent catalysts | 7 | 4 |
| 16 09 | Oxidising substances | 4 | 4 (all) |
| 16 10 | Aqueous liquid wastes destined for off-site treatment | 4 | 2 |
| 16 11 | Waste linings and refractories | 6 | 3 |
16 01 — what codes cover end-of-life vehicles and tyres?
End-of-life vehicle (ELV) processing is governed by separate ELV regulations as well as the List of Wastes. A vehicle brought to an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) intact is classified as 16 01 04* (hazardous) until it has been depolluted by removing fluids, batteries, airbags and other hazardous components. Once depolluted and stripped of hazardous parts, the vehicle shell is re-classified as 16 01 06 (non-hazardous).
| Code | Description | Hazardous? |
|---|---|---|
| 16 01 03 | Waste tyres | No |
| 16 01 04* | Discarded vehicles (not yet depolluted) | Yes |
| 16 01 06 | Discarded vehicles containing neither liquids nor other hazardous components (depolluted) | No |
| 16 01 07* | Oil filters | Yes |
| 16 01 08* | Components containing mercury | Yes |
| 16 01 09* | Components containing PCBs | Yes |
| 16 01 10* | Explosive components (e.g. air bags) | Yes |
| 16 01 11* | Brake pads containing asbestos | Yes |
| 16 01 12 | Brake pads other than those in 16 01 11 | No |
| 16 01 13* | Brake fluids | Yes |
| 16 01 14* | Antifreeze fluids containing dangerous substances | Yes |
| 16 01 15 | Antifreeze fluids other than those in 16 01 14 | No |
| 16 01 16 | Tanks for liquefied gas | No |
| 16 01 17 | Ferrous metal | No |
| 16 01 18 | Non-ferrous metal | No |
| 16 01 19 | Plastic | No |
| 16 01 20 | Glass | No |
| 16 01 21* | Hazardous components other than those in 16 01 07 to 16 01 11 | Yes |
| 16 01 22 | Components not otherwise specified | No |
| 16 01 99 | Wastes not otherwise specified | No |
16 02 — what EWC codes cover electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)?
Most WEEE collected from offices and businesses (computers, monitors, printers, phones, kitchen appliances) falls under 16 02 13* or 16 02 14 depending on whether hazardous substances are present. All WEEE must go to an Authorised Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF). Separate WEEE regulations impose additional obligations on producers and distributors.
| Code | Description | Hazardous? |
|---|---|---|
| 16 02 09* | Transformers and capacitors containing PCBs | Yes |
| 16 02 10* | Discarded equipment containing or contaminated by PCBs other than 16 02 09 | Yes |
| 16 02 11* | Discarded equipment containing chlorofluorocarbons, HCFC, HFC (e.g. fridges) | Yes |
| 16 02 12* | Discarded equipment containing free asbestos | Yes |
| 16 02 13* | Discarded equipment containing hazardous components other than those in 16 02 09 to 16 02 12 | Yes |
| 16 02 14 | Discarded equipment other than those in 16 02 09 to 16 02 13 | No |
| 16 02 15* | Hazardous components removed from discarded equipment | Yes |
| 16 02 16 | Components removed from discarded equipment other than 16 02 15 | No |
How do I decide between 16 02 13* and 16 02 14?
The split between the hazardous mirror pair 16 02 13* and 16 02 14 follows the same logic as all mirror pairs in the List of Wastes: if the equipment contains a hazardous component it is hazardous; if it does not, it is not. Hazardous components in WEEE include:
- Batteries or accumulators (classified separately under 16 06)
- Cathode ray tubes (older monitors and TVs) — contain lead glass
- Mercury-containing switches, lamps or displays (fluorescent backlights, thermostats)
- Capacitors containing PCBs in older industrial equipment
- Printed circuit boards in quantities above de minimis thresholds
When in doubt, treat WEEE as hazardous (16 02 13*). The Environment Agency's WM2 guidance on WEEE classification gives further detail on the threshold approach.
16 06 — what codes cover batteries and accumulators?
| Code | Description | Hazardous? | Common examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 06 01* | Lead batteries | Yes | Car batteries, UPS batteries, forklift batteries |
| 16 06 02* | Ni-Cd batteries | Yes | Power-tool batteries, older laptop batteries |
| 16 06 03* | Mercury-containing batteries | Yes | Button cells with mercury (pre-2009) |
| 16 06 04 | Alkaline batteries (except 16 06 03) | No | AA, AAA, C, D alkaline cells |
| 16 06 05 | Other batteries and accumulators | No | Lithium-ion packs not otherwise classified |
| 16 06 06* | Separately collected electrolyte from batteries and accumulators | Yes | Sulphuric acid from battery recycling |
What do the remaining chapter 16 subcategories cover?
| Subcategory | Typical waste | Codes | Hazardous |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 03 | Off-spec batches, unused products, metallic mercury | 5 | 3 |
| 16 04 | Waste ammunition, fireworks, explosives | 3 | 3 (all) |
| 16 05 | Gases in pressure containers (e.g. halons), lab chemicals | 6 | 4 |
| 16 07 | Oily tank washings, contaminated barrel residues | 3 | 2 |
| 16 08 | Spent catalysts from chemical & petroleum processes | 7 | 4 |
| 16 09 | Permanganates, chromates, peroxides, oxidising agents | 4 | 4 (all) |
| 16 10 | Industrial aqueous effluents for off-site treatment | 4 | 2 |
| 16 11 | Used furnace linings and refractories | 6 | 3 |
When should I use chapter 16 rather than a more specific chapter?
The classification hierarchy works like this:
- Step 1: Identify the process or activity that generated the waste (e.g. vehicle maintenance, electrical servicing, chemical manufacture).
- Step 2: Look for a code in the chapter that matches that process (chapters 01–15 are process-specific; chapters 17–20 cover construction, incineration, treatment residues and municipal waste).
- Step 3: Only if no code in those chapters fits, check chapter 16.
- Step 4: If chapter 16 also has no specific code, use the “99” code (wastes not otherwise specified) in the chapter that matches the generating process.
Do I need a waste transfer note for chapter 16 waste?
The duty of care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 applies to all controlled waste, including waste from chapter 16. Waste transfer notes must be kept for at least 2 years; hazardous waste consignment notes for at least 3 years. The waste must be moved by a registered waste carrier — upper-tier registration is required for the majority of controlled waste movements.
- Non-hazardous chapter 16 waste (e.g. 16 01 03 waste tyres, 16 02 14 WEEE, 16 06 04 alkaline batteries) — standard waste transfer note; keep for 2 years.
- Hazardous chapter 16 waste (e.g. 16 01 04* ELVs, 16 02 13* WEEE, 16 06 01* lead batteries) — hazardous waste consignment note; keep for 3 years.
This guide provides general information about EWC waste codes and is not legal or technical advice. For formal waste classification, follow the Environment Agency's WM3 technical guidance and verify codes against the primary List of Wastes. If you are uncertain whether a waste is hazardous, treat it as hazardous until you have carried out a proper classification.
Frequently asked questions
- What is EWC chapter 16?
- EWC chapter 16 is the catch-all classification chapter for wastes not otherwise specified elsewhere in the List of Wastes. It contains 11 subcategories (16 01 to 16 11) and 72 individual six-digit codes, of which 44 are hazardous (marked with an asterisk *). Chapter 16 should only be used when no more specific code in chapters 01–15 or 17–20 fits the waste.
- What EWC code do I use for waste tyres?
- Use EWC code 16 01 03 for waste tyres. This code covers end-of-life tyres from all types of vehicle and is non-hazardous, so it travels on a standard waste transfer note (not a consignment note). Waste tyres must go to an appropriately permitted site such as a tyre recycler or crumb-rubber facility.
- What EWC code covers old computers, monitors and other WEEE?
- Most discarded electrical and electronic equipment falls under subcategory 16 02. Non-hazardous WEEE such as computers, monitors, printers and similar equipment that contains no hazardous substances is classified as 16 02 14. Equipment that contains hazardous components (e.g. batteries, mercury lamps, lead solder, PCBs) is classified as 16 02 13*. WEEE must go to an authorised treatment facility (AATF).
- Are lead-acid car batteries hazardous waste?
- Yes. Lead-acid car batteries (and other lead batteries) are classified as EWC 16 06 01*, which is a hazardous code. They must travel on a hazardous waste consignment note, be carried by a registered upper-tier waste carrier, and go to an appropriately permitted battery recycler. The consignment note must be kept for at least 3 years.
- When should I use chapter 16 instead of another EWC chapter?
- Use chapter 16 only after checking that no code in chapters 01–15 or 17–20 more precisely describes your waste. The Environment Agency's guidance is clear: chapter 16 is the last resort, not the first choice. If your waste arises from a specific industrial process (e.g. chemical manufacture, metal processing), it almost certainly has a more specific code in the process-related chapter for that activity.
Related guides
This guide is general information from ComplyWaste, not legal advice. Always check the primary sources for your situation.