Aspects to be considered for waste classification

Potential hazards of wastes containing coal tar depend on their level of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic effects (high for coal tar, rather low in bitumen). Thus, please refer also to Section 1.4.1. Indicator tests exist to identify whether the waste containing coal tar contains a significant concentration of PAH components. Tests will indicate presence of PAH but not give a measurement. Examples are provided in the OVAM Guidance: — use of PAH marker in combination with use of a UV lamp; — white spray paint; — adding a drop of methylene chloride. When either of these tests gives a positive result it is assumed that the material contains tar and therefore is hazardous, unless the holder of the waste stream is able to demonstrate that the concentration of PAHs is below the threshold levels in Annex III to the WFD so it can be classified as non-hazardous. However, the classification as (non-)hazardous must not be done exclusively based on the presence of PAHs but should take into account all the substances present in the waste stream. Coal tar and its distillates (e.g. tar oils) potentially display carcinogenic properties. If the concentration of such materials is at or above 0,1 % the waste would possess the hazardous property HP 7 carcinogenic (cf. Section 3.7). Determining the coal tar content is usually not conducted in the testing of waste. To be noted that Table 3 of Part 3 of Annex VI to the CLP Regulation uses benzo[a]pyrene as a marker compound for carcinogenicity for certain coal tar entries where the concentration of benzo[a]pyrene is at or above 50 ppm (mg/kg). Any sampling of asphalt concrete would need to ensure that layers with different concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene are properly and representatively assessed (28).

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