EWC Code
Wastes from manufacture, formulation, supply and use of paint and varnish including ceramic enamels
EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC — Official Journal L 226, 06/09/2000Annual Volume
~1–2 Mt/year paint and coating waste EU-wide
Valorisation Range
Solvent-based paint waste €100–400/t as fuel; water-based paint sludge disposal €50–150/t
Primary Route
Solvent recovery and fuel blending
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Get contacts for EWC 08 01EWC 08 01 covers waste paint, varnish and enamel from manufacture and industrial/consumer application. Key hazardous codes: 08 01 11* (waste paint/varnish containing organic solvents or other dangerous substances) and 08 01 13* (sludges from paint or varnish containing organic solvents). Non-hazardous codes: 08 01 12 (waste paint without dangerous substances) and 08 01 14 (water-based paint sludge).
Automotive OEM coating is the largest industrial generator — solvent-based basecoat and clearcoat overspray is recovered by dry filter or wet scrubbing. Paint sludge from wet scrubbers contains 20–40% paint solids in water. Solvent-borne paint waste has high calorific value (NCV 15–25 MJ/kg) making it attractive as alternative fuel. Water-based paint waste requires dewatering before thermal treatment.
EU paint market is shifting toward waterborne and UV-cured formulations under IED and VOC solvent directives, reducing hazardous paint waste volumes. Community paint take-back schemes (PaintCare in Netherlands, Recupaint in Belgium) collect post-consumer paint for quality sorting and re-pigmentation or energy recovery. Ceramic enamel waste contains heavy metals (Pb, Cd) and requires hazardous characterisation.
Typical Generators
Established valorisation pathways for EWC 08 01, ranked by economic value and market depth. Solvent recovery and fuel blending is the primary route.
Solvent-based paint waste distilled to recover solvents (xylene, toluene, n-butyl acetate) for return to formulation or sale. High-calorific paint sludge blended into alternative fuel (AF) for cement kilns. NCV and chlorine content tested before acceptance. Typical blend ratio 5–10% paint waste in kiln AF stream.
Post-consumer water-based paint sorted by colour, quality-tested and re-pigmented to produce recycled paint product. Contaminated or mixed-colour fractions shredded, dewatered and used as industrial coating (anti-corrosion, road marking base). Off-specification product directed to energy recovery.
Ceramic enamel waste containing Pb or Cd, and paint sludge exceeding hazardous substance thresholds, incinerated at permitted facilities. Metal-containing ash characterised — may be suitable for non-ferrous metal recovery if metal content is significant.
These are the established routes for EWC 08 01. Which one your stream qualifies for depends on its composition, volume and region.
Get the ranked options for your streamPrimary & secondary off-takers
Manages in-process paint waste, reactor washout and off-spec product
Automotive OEM coating lines generate high-volume paint sludge managed under waste permits
Co-processes solvent-based paint waste as high-calorific alternative fuel
Post-consumer paint recycling operators recover and re-formulate waterborne paint
Source: NACE Rev.2 — Eurostat, 2008
Key legislative frameworks governing EWC 08 01 classification, transport, and treatment.
Coating activities using >150 kg/h or >200 t/year of solvents require IED VOC reduction scheme. Total VOC emission limit 10–75 mg C/Nm³. Paint sludge generation documented in annual solvent management plan submitted to competent authority.
Diisocyanates in two-pack coatings subject to training requirement from 24 August 2023. Certain biocides in wet-state paint preservatives require Biocidal Products Regulation authorisation. Both drive changes in paint formulation and waste stream composition.
Paint waste mirror entries (08 01 11*/08 01 12) require producer classification. Post-consumer paint collection under EPR producer responsibility obligations (Packaging Directive and national EPR schemes). Paint collected under EPR classified as non-hazardous where solvent content is below threshold.
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Sectors that valorise EWC 08 01 as an input material or secondary raw material.
Waste-stream pages and resources connected to EWC 08 01 valorisation.
Explore EU waste flows — Waste Atlas
Visualise 17 years of E-PRTR industrial facility data. See how EWC 08 01 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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