Development of the European Waste List: Finnish experiences and proposal for future development

1
Development of the European Waste ListFinnish
experiences and proposal for future development

• Berlin 3 - 4.11.2005

2
Animal classification according to an old Chinese
encyclopaedia (Matti Rossi WSOY Porvoo 1969)

• A) Animals owned by the Emperor
• B) Embalmed animals
• C) Domesticated animals
• D) Pigs
• E) Mermaids
• F) Mythical animals
• G) Race dogs
• etc.

3
Basic characteristics of a classification

• Classification should be systematic so that
  observations are consequently classified
  according to agreed criteria
• Classification should usually be hierarchical so
  that the upper class level describes the
  structure of a phenomenon, which is defined in
  the lower class levels
• Classification should be unambiguous so that
  observations can be classified clearly to a
  certain class according to the classification
  criteria
• Classification should be extensive so that each
  observation belongs to some class
• Classification should be exclusionary so that no
  observation could be classified to two or more
  classes
• The residual class should have a minor role. If
  not classification does not work well as a tool
  describing the phenomenon

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Basic characteristics of EWL

• EWL is not a classification, its more like a
  list of some substances
• Classification criteria used in EWL
• Source e.g economic activity, process
• Material, e.g waste oils
• Product groups, e.g end of life vehicles,
  machinery
• Functions, e.g packaging waste and municipal
  waste
• Various classification criteria lead to a fact
  that EWL is neither systematic, unambiguous,
  extensive nor exclusionary.
• Because of the lack of hierarchy EWL is difficult
  to enlarge or define. This would only lead to a
  more complicated list of waste.

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• EWL is user unfriendly.
• Classification has to be done in four stages
• 1. Examine classes 01 -12, 19 - 20 if no proper
  class is found
• 2. Examine classes 13 -15, if no proper class is
  found
• 3. Examine class 16, if no proper class is found
• 4. Classify to a residual class
• EWL classes do not always give an information on
  the waste material e.g. all residual classes, 16
  03, 19 12 10, 20 03 07 and so on...
• However statistics should be compiled mainly
  based on the material of waste

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Proportion of residual waste codes usedin
Finnish waste data 2003 and 2004.

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Proportion of hazardous waste in residual
classes, Finnish waste data 2004

8
Analysis on the use of residual waste classes (xx
xx 99)

• Source based waste classes seem to be difficult
  to use
• Possible reasons for using residual classes
• No proper waste class available
• Finding a correct waste class is too complicated
• Problems appearing when residual classes are used
• Waste assigned to the residual class are not
  homogenous
• Some waste will fall to a wrong EWCStat waste
  class
• A large proportion of hazardous waste are
  registered as residual class wastes

9
Example of a hierarchy in material based waste
classification

• 01 Wood waste
• 01.1. Treated wood waste
• 01.1.1 Chips, cuttings and sawdust
• 01.1.1.1. Pine chips, cuttings and sawdust
• 01.1.1.1.1 Pine chips, cuttings and sawdust from
  agriculture
• 01.1.1.1.2 Pine chips, cuttings and sawdust from
  industry
• 01.1.1.1.3 Pine chips, cuttings and sawdust from
  construction
• 01.1.1.1.4 Pine chips, cuttings and sawdust from
  households

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Waste classification in year 2010

• EWL should fulfil the statistical classification
  criteria.
• Different hierarchical levels would serve all
  users of the waste data on a desired level
• Enlarging, adding and reducing waste classes
  would be simple without changing the whole
  structure of the classification
• Use of residual classes would reduce
• EWL and EWCstat should be integrated to one
  single classification
• Integrated classification could be more easily
  integrated to other waste classifications Basel,
  OECD