EWC chapter 20: municipal waste codes explained

Chapter 20 of the European Waste Catalogue — adopted in UK law as the List of Wastes — covers every type of municipal and household waste, from mixed rubbish to separately collected recycling fractions and garden waste. Here is every subcategory, every six-digit code, which ones are hazardous, and how to choose the right one for your waste transfer note.

What is EWC chapter 20?

Chapter 20 is the final chapter of the European Waste Catalogue and acts as the home for waste that originates from households and similar sources. In England and Wales it is adopted as the List of Wastes; Scotland and Northern Ireland have equivalent retained legislation. Every waste movement requires the correct six-digit EWC code on the waste transfer note or hazardous consignment note. For household, trade, and municipal waste, the applicable codes sit in chapter 20.

Chapter 20 contains 40 EWC codes across 3 subcategories. All 14 hazardous codes are in subcategory 20 01 (separately collected fractions). Subcategories 20 02 and 20 03 contain no hazardous codes. Waste carrying a hazardous code must travel on a hazardous waste consignment note — not a standard WTN — and that note must be kept for at least 3 years.

What are the three subcategories of EWC chapter 20?

What EWC codes are in subcategory 20 01?

The 20 01 codes cover recyclable materials (paper, glass, plastics, metals), organic fractions (food waste, garden cuttings if separately collected), and household hazardous waste streams. They apply when material has been sorted at source — either by the householder or by a business — before it is collected separately. Mixed, unsorted waste belongs in 20 03 01.

Common dry recyclables and organics

Household hazardous waste — chemicals, paint and detergents

Several of these are mirror entries: a hazardous asterisked code and a non-hazardous alternative (for example 20 01 27* and 20 01 28 for paint and resins). The hazardous version applies when the waste contains dangerous substances above classification thresholds; the non-hazardous version applies when it does not. Testing or composition knowledge is required to choose correctly.

Medicines, batteries, and electrical equipment

What EWC codes are in subcategory 20 02?

Code 20 02 01 is the correct code for grass cuttings, leaves, prunings and other biodegradable garden waste collected separately. Soil and stones removed from gardens or parks are 20 02 02. Plastic plant pots, artificial turf and other non-biodegradable garden items that cannot be sorted into 20 02 01 or 20 02 02 are 20 02 03. Where garden waste is collected mixed with general household waste, the load as a whole is coded 20 03 01 instead.

What EWC codes are in subcategory 20 03?

Code 20 03 01 applies to general household rubbish and equivalent commercial waste that has not been sorted by material type. It is the code used on waste transfer notes for black-bag or general trade waste collections. Code 20 03 07 covers large items collected separately, such as sofas, mattresses and white goods that are not separately coded under a more specific entry. Where bulky waste contains hazardous components (for example a fridge containing CFCs), the item should instead be coded under the relevant 20 01 code.

Which EWC chapter 20 codes are hazardous?

• →20 01 13* Solvents
• →20 01 14* Acids
• →20 01 15* Alkalines
• →20 01 17* Photochemicals
• →20 01 19* Pesticides
• →20 01 21* Fluorescent tubes and other mercury-containing waste
• →20 01 23* Discarded equipment containing CFCs
• →20 01 26* Oils and fats (non-edible)
• →20 01 27* Paint, inks, adhesives and resins containing hazardous substances
• →20 01 29* Detergents containing hazardous substances
• →20 01 31* Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines
• →20 01 33* Batteries and accumulators (hazardous types)
• →20 01 35* WEEE containing hazardous components
• →20 01 37* Wood containing hazardous substances

Waste carrying any of these codes must be moved by a registered hazardous waste carrier, accompanied by a hazardous waste consignment note rather than a standard waste transfer note, and deposited at a facility permitted to accept hazardous waste. Consignment notes must be retained for at least 3 years; standard WTNs for at least 2 years.

What EWC code should I use for general household and commercial waste?

Code 20 03 01 is the correct choice when waste has not been sorted before collection — the contents are mixed and no single material stream dominates. Where waste has been separated at source into specific fractions (cardboard, glass, plastics, metals), use the appropriate 20 01 code for each fraction instead. The 20 01 codes apply to the sorted stream; 20 03 01 applies to what remains when sorting has not taken place.

For trade waste collections from businesses — restaurants, offices, shops — the same logic applies. If the collection is a mixed, general commercial waste skip or bag, 20 03 01 is correct. If the business separately presents food waste or cardboard for collection, those streams get 20 01 08 and 20 01 01 respectively.

Do waste collectors need a waste transfer note for municipal waste?

The duty of care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 applies to all controlled waste, including municipal waste. Waste collectors must ensure they hold a valid waste carrier registration, issue (or receive) a correct waste transfer note for every movement, and retain copies for at least 2 years (or 3 years for hazardous consignment notes). Failure to hold proper documentation can result in a fixed penalty or prosecution.

This guide is general information about EWC waste codes, not legal or technical advice. For formal waste classification, verify codes against the primary sources below and, if in doubt about whether a waste is hazardous, consult your environmental regulator or seek specialist classification advice.