Waste is defined as hazardous if it is classified as so in the European Waste Catalogue. Broadly, it is deemed hazardous if it is made up of substances or materials that are harmful to human health or the environment.

Half of all Hazardous Wastes comes from three sources:

• Chemical industry
• Contaminated soil
• Oily wastes

European Waste Catalogue

The Hazardous Waste List was incorporated into the European Waste Catalogue (EWC) – an EC-wide list of Wastes including those considered to have hazardous properties (explosive, flammable, carcinogenic or corrosive). Waste is Hazardous when it contains substances – or has properties – that might make it harmful to human health or the environment; the List includes:

• Acids
• Alkaline Solutions
• Asbestos
• Batteries
• Computer monitors
• Contaminated Soils
• End-of-life vehicles (un-depolluted)
• Fluorescent tubing
• Fly ash
• Medicines
• Oils (except edible)
• Pesticides
• Pharmaceutical Compounds
• Photographic Chemicals
• Solvents (industrial)
• Televisions
• Waste Oil
• Wastes containing Cathode Ray Tubes
• Wastes containing Heavy Metals and their compounds
• Wood Preservatives

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