Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): how to classify
Common waste codes for batteries, lightbulbs and electrical devices.
You must classify the waste your business produces before it is collected, disposed of or recovered.
You must do this to identify:
- if the waste is hazardous or not
- which controls apply to the movement of the waste - this is to prevent harm to people and the environment
You need to include all relevant classification codes if you place waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) that would be assigned different codes in the same container.
(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.
Hazardous substances or persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in waste electricals
WEEE often has components that contain hazardous substances or persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These could include:
- printed circuit boards
- plastic casings, cables and other components
- insulation foam
- cooling agents
- flame retardants
- activated glass and screen phosphors
- cathode ray tubes
- capacitors
- Ni-Cd batteries
If the levels of hazardous substances or POPs are over a certain amount the item will be classified as hazardous or POPs waste.
If your WEEE is POPs waste you cannot reuse or recycle it.
There are special rules about:
- where you can export WEEE that contains POPs - check the guidance on classifying electrical device waste
- dealing with hazardous waste
- disposing of POPs waste
If you have assessed your waste and are still not sure if an item is hazardous or POPs waste, you should treat it as hazardous and POPs waste as a precaution.
Read technical guidance on how to assess waste and identifying POPs waste.
Televisions, computer monitors and other display devices
Components such as screens, circuit boards, batteries or any plastic parts may contain hazardous chemicals or POPs.
| Waste status | Household | Industrial or commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathode ray tube (CRT), flatscreen (plasma or LCD) containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* | 16 02 13* |
Fridges, freezers, chillers and air-conditioning units
Components such as circuit boards, motors and any plastic parts may contain hazardous chemicals or POPs. Coolants and foam may also be hazardous. Usually there is not enough POPs for the item to be classified as POPs waste.
| Waste status | Household | Industrial or commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Containing ozone-depleting substances as foam blowing agents or coolants | Hazardous, non-POPs | 20 01 23* | 16 02 11* |
| Other | Hazardous, non-POPs | 20 01 35* | 16 02 13* |
Large domestic appliances (LDA): white goods (washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers and cookers)
Components such as circuit boards, motors or any plastic parts may contain POPs. Usually there is not enough for the item to be classified as POPs waste.
Heat pump tumble dryers contain coolants which are hazardous. You must classify and manage these differently to vented and condenser tumble dryers.
| Waste status | Household | Industrial or commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large domestic appliances: white goods | Non-hazardous, non-POPs | 20 01 36 | 16 02 14 |
| Heat pump tumble dryers | Hazardous, non-POPs | 20 01 35* | 16 02 13* |
| Vented and condenser tumble dryers | Non-hazardous, non-POPs | 20 01 36 | 16 02 14 |
Small mixed WEEE
These are small household-type electrical items collected from homes or businesses.
Components such as screens, circuit boards, batteries or any plastic parts may contain hazardous chemicals or POPs.
| Waste status | Household | Industrial or commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small mixed WEEE containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* and 20 01 36 | Not applicable |
Other household-type electricals from homes or businesses
These are waste electrical items collected from households or businesses that are not already listed and are separated from small mixed WEEE.
Components such as screens, circuit boards, batteries or any plastic parts may contain hazardous chemicals or POPs.
| Waste status | Household | Industrial or commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat 1: Large household appliances (other than LDA white goods) containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* and 20 01 36 | Not applicable |
| Cat 2: Small household appliances containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* and 20 01 36 | Not applicable |
| Cat 3: IT and telecommunication equipment containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* and 20 01 36 | Not applicable |
| Cat 4: Consumer equipment containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* and 20 01 36 | Not applicable |
| Cat 5: Lighting equipment containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* and 20 01 36 | Not applicable |
| Cat 6: Electronic and electrical tools containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* and 20 01 36 | Not applicable |
| Cat 7: Toys, leisure and sporting equipment containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* and 20 01 36 | Not applicable |
Lightbulbs and lamps
Components such as circuit boards, plastic parts or casings may contain POPs and hazardous chemicals, such as flame retardants.
You must check the levels of hazardous substances and POPs in the bulbs before you can classify the waste. To assess WEEE for hazardous substances or POPs, check the guidance on classifying electrical device waste.
| Waste status | Household | Industrial or commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linear fluorescent tubes | Hazardous, non-POPs | 20 01 21* | 16 02 13* |
| Compact fluorescent lamps and other non-linear gas discharge lamps | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 21* | 16 02 13* |
| LED containing POPs and hazardous substances | Hazardous and POPs | 20 01 35* | 16 02 13* |
| LED not containing POPs and all halogen and incandescent lamps not containing hazardous substances | Non-hazardous, non-POPs | 20 01 36 | 16 02 14 |
Batteries
| Waste status | Household | Industrial or commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead acid (vehicle) | Hazardous | 16 06 01* | 16 06 01* |
| Lead acid (other) | Hazardous | 20 01 33* | 16 06 01* |
| Nickel-Cadmium | Hazardous | 20 01 33* | 16 06 02* |
| Mercury containing | Hazardous | 20 01 33* | 16 06 03* |
| Alkaline | Non-hazardous | 20 01 34 | 16 06 04 |
| Other - Lithium or Lithium ion | Non-hazardous | 20 01 34 | 16 06 05 |
| Mixed household-type batteries - separately collected | Hazardous | 20 01 33* | Not allowed |
How to classify other wastes
Check the guidance on how to classify other common waste types.
Or check the technical guidance on waste, which lists all of the waste codes and how to apply them.
Get advice from a specialist waste contractor if you are not sure what code to use for your waste.
For more information, contact the Environment Agency.
General enquiries
National Customer Contact Centre
PO Box 544
Rotherham
S60 1BY
Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
Telephone 03708 506 506
Telephone from outside the UK (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm GMT) +44 (0) 114 282 5312
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.