§1.1 Structure of the LoW
The LoW, in the version as established by Decision 2000/532/EC and as amended by Decision 2014/955/EU, applies from 1 June 2015. The LoW contains 20 chapters (two digit codes, cf. Table 1 below). These chapters are further divided into sub-chapters (four digit codes) and entries (six digit codes). Examples for chapter, sub-chapters and entries are provided below: Chapter : 20 MUNICIPAL WASTES (HOUSEHOLD WASTE AND SIMILAR COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL WASTES) INCLUDING SEPARATELY COLLECTED FRACTIONS Sub-chapter : 20 01 Separately collected fractions (except 15 01) Entry : 20 01 02 Glass When classifying a waste you first need to ensure the waste falls within the scope of the chapter title. If it does, you then check it if falls within the scope of the subchapter title. Only then can you look within for an appropriate code. For the aforementioned example of waste classified with entry 20 01 02 this means that the waste: — must stem from households or household-like commercial, industrial or institutional waste (to fall under chapter 20); — must be collected separately (to fall under sub-chapter 20 01); and — must consist of glass; — but must not be glass packaging because packaging waste is excluded from sub-chapter 20 01 by its title and has to be assigned with an entry of chapter 15 for packaging waste.
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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-07