EWC Code
Wood preservation wastes
EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC — Official Journal L 226, 06/09/2000Annual Volume
~500,000 t/year EU treated wood waste and impregnation residues
Valorisation Range
Disposal at hazardous waste facilities €80–200/t; limited recovery routes for non-hazardous fractions
Primary Route
Thermal treatment in permitted facility
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Get contacts for EWC 03 02EWC 03 02 covers residues from industrial wood preservation: process sludge from treatment plant sumps, spent preservative solutions, wood chips and shavings contaminated with biocides, and tank cleaning waste. The hazardous classification of specific sub-codes (03 02 01*, 03 02 02*, 03 02 03*, 03 02 04*, 03 02 05*) depends on the preservative system used — creosote, copper-chrome-arsenic (CCA), boron compounds, organic biocides or other chemicals.
Creosote-treated wood generates highly hazardous waste containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). CCA-treated wood contains chromium(VI), copper and arsenic and is banned for new residential use under Biocidal Products Regulation but remains in service. TPAC (triazole/pyrethroid/azole combinations) and boron treatments generate lower-hazard residues. The EU Biocidal Products Regulation (EU) 528/2012 governs active substances permitted in wood preservatives, with several historic preservatives phased out under REACH.
Industrial symbiosis options are limited due to contamination: creosote-treated wood is restricted to energy recovery in permitted installations; CCA-treated wood requires thermal treatment with controlled ash management. Non-hazardous treatment residues (boron-based, some azole treatments) may be managed via non-hazardous waste routes. The end-of-life management of existing stock of CCA-treated utility poles is a growing challenge across EU Member States.
Typical Generators
Established valorisation pathways for EWC 03 02, ranked by economic value and market depth. Thermal treatment in permitted facility is the primary route.
Creosote and CCA wood waste incinerated in permitted installations under IED, ensuring flue gas treatment meets emission limit values. Ash from CCA-treated wood is hazardous and requires specialist disposal. Some cement kilns co-process non-hazardous treated wood fractions under waste-derived fuel permits.
Contaminated treatment sludge and heavily impregnated wood that cannot be thermally treated economically is disposed at permitted hazardous waste landfill meeting Directive 1999/31/EC Article 6 acceptance criteria after pre-treatment.
Non-hazardous treatment residues (boron compounds, water-based preservatives) may be managed as non-hazardous industrial waste. Sawdust and chips from boron-treated timber can be composted or used as biomass fuel subject to verification of preservative type and concentration.
These are the established routes for EWC 03 02. Which one your stream qualifies for depends on its composition, volume and region.
Get the ranked options for your streamPrimary & secondary off-takers
Sawmills with impregnation plants generate treatment residues
Utility pole and sleeper manufacturers are major generators of CCA and creosote waste
Hazardous waste treatment facilities and permitted energy recovery plants are primary receivers
Cement kilns co-process non-hazardous wood waste as alternative fuel
Source: NACE Rev.2 — Eurostat, 2008
Key legislative frameworks governing EWC 03 02 classification, transport, and treatment.
CCA preservative is restricted under REACH Annex XVII (Entry 19): CCA-treated wood cannot be placed on the market for general consumer use. Treatment plants using restricted substances require authorisation. Legacy CCA poles and sleepers remain legal until end of service life.
Active substances in wood preservatives (PT8) must be approved. Creosote approved only for professional use in specific circumstances. Operators must hold biocidal product authorisation for each treatment system used.
Wood preservation sludge and spent preservative solutions are typically hazardous waste. Waste consignment notes, authorised carriers and traceable disposal at permitted facilities are mandatory requirements.
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Sectors that valorise EWC 03 02 as an input material or secondary raw material.
Waste-stream pages and resources connected to EWC 03 02 valorisation.
Explore EU waste flows — Waste Atlas
Visualise 17 years of E-PRTR industrial facility data. See how EWC 03 02 and related waste streams flow across European industries and sectors.
Source: EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC · NACE Rev.2 — Eurostat 2008
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