§1.3.2 Waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

In the LoW, there are two chapters explicitly referring to WEEE: 16 wastes not otherwise specified in the list 20 municipal wastes (household waste and similar commercial, industrial and institutional wastes) including separately collected fractions According to the structure presented in Section 1.1 of this Annex, Chapter 20 of the LoW takes precedence over its chapter 16. In sub-chapter 20 01, separately collected WEEE from municipal waste can be allocated to the following hazardous entries: 20 01 21* fluorescent tubes and other mercury-containing waste AH 20 01 23* discarded equipment containing chlorofluorocarbons AH 20 01 35* discarded electrical and electronic equipment other than those mentioned in 20 01 21 and 20 01 23 containing hazardous components MH MNH entries are the following ones: 20 01 36 discarded electrical and electronic equipment other than those mentioned in 20 01 21, 20 01 23 and 20 01 35. MNH If WEEE arises from a commercial/industrial source and cannot be seen as ‘similar commercial, industrial and institutional waste’, it thus cannot be allocated to an entry of chapter 20. Instead the following MH entries exist in chapter 16: 16 02 09* transformers and capacitors containing PCBs MH 16 02 10* discarded equipment containing or contaminated by PCBs other than those mentioned in 16 02 09* MH 16 02 11* discarded equipment containing chlorofluorocarbons, HCFC, HFC MH 16 02 12* discarded equipment containing free asbestos MH 16 02 13* discarded equipment containing hazardous components other than those mentioned in 16 02 09* to 16 02 12* MH 16 02 15* Hazardous components removed from discarded equipment MH MNH entries are the following ones: 16 02 14 discarded equipment other than those mentioned in 16 02 09 to 16 02 13 MNH 16 02 16 components removed from discarded equipment other than those mentioned in 16 02 15 MNH If there are more specific entries for the characterisation of certain fractions of WEEE in the LoW, those entries should be used for classification, e.g. batteries and accumulators stemming from WEEE may be allocated to sub-chapter 16 06 (batteries and accumulators). Additionally, different entries apart from chapters 16 and 20 of the LoW will have to be used for fractions generated during the treatment process of WEEE (Figure 3) (9). Please note that the threshold values based on hazard statement codes refer to the state of the waste as it is when the classification of the waste is undertaken (i.e. the state in which it is usually transferred and subsequently managed). For the case of WEEE this might imply that if whole appliances are to be classified, the weight of the appliance has to be considered as basis for the applied concentration limits of hazardous substance. If separated fractions have to be classified (e.g. after selective treatment) the weight of the separated fractions are to be considered as basis for the applied concentration limits. Labelling and record keeping of WEEE and batteries Please note that labelling and record keeping obligations stemming from WFD do not apply to separate fractions of hazardous waste produced by households until they are accepted for collection, disposal or recovery by an establishment or an undertaking which has obtained a permit or has been registered in accordance with the WFD. Since collection points established under the WEEE or the Batteries Directive, in accordance with and under the preconditions of the two Directives, are not subject to the registration or permit requirements, the said obligations do not apply to these collection points but only once WEEE or waste batteries are accepted for collection, disposal or recovery at a waste treatment facility. Box 2: Labelling and record keeping requirements for WEEE and batteries

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-07