EWC codes for Waste Transfer Notes: a complete guide

EWC codes defined

EWC stands for European Waste Catalogue. It is the standard classification system for waste types across the UK and Europe. Every waste type transferred between businesses requires a six-digit identifying code.

Missing or incorrect codes make a Waste Transfer Note (WTN) non-compliant under the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011. Enforcement penalties match those for having no record at all.

The system stems from European Commission Decision 2000/532/EC. The UK adopted it through the 2011 regulations, and it remains in force post-Brexit.

Structure of the six-digit code

The code splits into three pairs of digits: chapter, sub-chapter, and category.

The first two digits mark the broad industry or process. Chapter 17 covers construction and demolition waste, household waste sits under chapter 20, and waste management facilities use chapter 19.

The middle two digits establish the sub-chapter. For construction (chapter 17), 17 01 covers concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics. Wood, glass and plastic fall under 17 02.

The final two digits lock down the specific waste material. For example, 17 01 01 indicates concrete, 17 01 02 means bricks, and 17 01 03 covers tiles and ceramics. A WTN for pure concrete from a building site reads as 17 01 01.

Legal and operational risks of incorrect coding

Miscoding a WTN is a compliance breach. The Environment Agency treats a load of mixed construction waste marked as 17 01 01 (concrete only) as an incorrect record.

Penalties mirror a missing WTN. Local authorities can issue immediate £300 fixed penalty notices, and courts can hand down unlimited fines for serious Duty of Care failures.

Downstream sites rely on these codes. Wrong entries can route waste to facilities lacking the correct environmental permits, spreading liability back to the producer. If you miscode hazardous waste with a non-hazardous number, handlers will treat it incorrectly, causing environmental damage and immediate legal exposure for the whole chain.

Common EWC codes for skip hire and construction

Skip hire operators and building sites handle a narrow set of waste streams.

• 17 09 04: Mixed construction and demolition waste (the standard skip mix)
• 20 03 01: Mixed household and commercial waste
• 15 01 06: Mixed packaging
• 19 12 12: Waste from mechanical treatment

Other common site materials include non-hazardous soil and stones (17 05 04), wood (17 02 01), and mixed metals (17 04 07). Separate gypsum-based materials like plasterboard require 17 08 02. For insulation, use 17 06 04 for non-hazardous types, but asbestos-containing insulation must use the hazardous code 17 06 01 and move under a consignment note.

Find individual codes using the lookup tool at /tools/ewc-code-lookup. It searches by waste type, industry, or code number.

Common EWC codes for transfer stations and recycling facilities

Waste transfer stations and materials recovery facilities (MRFs) handle broader categories, relying heavily on the 19 12 sub-chapter for mechanically treated outputs:

• 19 12 01: Paper and cardboard
• 19 12 02: Ferrous metal
• 19 12 03: Non-ferrous metal
• 19 12 04: Plastic and rubber
• 19 12 05: Glass
• 19 12 07: Wood (excluding hazardous wood)
• 19 12 08: Textiles
• 19 12 09: Minerals (like sand and stones)
• 19 12 10: Combustible waste (refuse derived fuel)
• 19 12 12: Other wastes from mechanical treatment

Mixed loads arriving for sorting typically take the 19 12 12 code at the gate. Once sorted, the fractions leave the site under their individual material codes.

Finding the correct classification

The complete catalogue contains hundreds of entries. The Environment Agency's technical guidance states codes must reflect both the material composition and the specific process generating it, not just the general industry.

Frequent operational errors:

• Applying a single-material code like 17 01 01 to a mixed load.
• Using non-hazardous codes for loads containing hazardous contamination.
• Using a receiving site's 19-series process code before the waste undergoes any mechanical treatment.

When composition is mixed and separation is impossible, operators must log it as a mixed code rather than guessing a dominant single material. The lookup tool at /tools/ewc-code-lookup tracks the full catalogue with search filters.

EWC codes and the DWTS

The Digital Waste Tracking Service (DWTS) goes live in October 2026. Every digital waste receipt submitted to the service mandates an accurate EWC code.

The service collects the EWC alongside the description, tonnage, carrier data, and site licences. Built-in system checks will block completely invalid digits, but the platform cannot verify if the code matches the actual physical waste on the vehicle. The site operator bears that responsibility.

LoadLog code checking features

LoadLog builds EWC checks directly into the WTN workflow. The software matches entered numbers against the official UK registry and flags high-risk errors before submission.

The system stores frequent codes per site, giving weighbridge users a quick dropdown that handles most daily transactions without manual typing. The upcoming lookup tool integration allows direct registry searches inside the active data entry screen.