EWC Code
Wastes of liquid fuels
EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC — Official Journal L 226, 06/09/2000Annual Volume
450,000 tonnes/year EU waste liquid fuel
Valorisation Range
€130M waste fuel management and recovery market
Primary Route
Fuel blending and re-specification
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Get contacts for EWC 13 07Wastes of liquid fuels include off-specification diesel, heavy fuel oil tank bottoms, fuel contaminated with water or microbial growth, and fuel storage tank cleaning residues. EU fuel distribution infrastructure generates waste fuel through product quality failures, tank water accumulation, pipeline cleanouts and terminal decommissioning. Off-spec road diesel failing EN 590 specification for FAME content, cetane number or flash point is managed as waste fuel rather than returned to specification.
Fuel storage tank bottoms are a particularly significant waste stream: diesel storage tanks accumulate water, rust particles, wax and microbial biomass (particularly the diesel bug fungus Hormoconis resinae) as sediment. Tank cleaning generates several tonnes of sludge per tank containing 30–60% fuel value hydrocarbons combined with corrosion products and microbiological material. Flash point testing determines transport classification.
Aviation fuel waste arises from fuel quality management at airports: overwing fuel contaminated with jet fuel service equipment, filter/separator change waste and emergency fuel drain operations. Aviation turbine kerosene (ATK) off-spec waste has high calorific value (43 MJ/kg) and low sulphur content making it attractive for cement kiln co-processing or blending into marine fuel oil bunkers where permitted.
Typical Generators
Established valorisation pathways for EWC 13 07, ranked by economic value and market depth. Fuel blending and re-specification is the primary route.
Off-specification diesel failing only one parameter is blended with in-specification fuel at fuel terminals to meet EN 590 specification, avoiding waste classification entirely. Slightly water-contaminated fuel is water-separated by centrifuge and flash-point verified before return to product. Blending operations require licensed fuel terminal facility.
High-calorific waste liquid fuel (>30 MJ/kg) is co-processed in cement kilns under alternative fuel protocols. Fuel analysis including flash point, chlorine, sulphur, metals and calorific value required before acceptance. Cement kiln destroys all organic compounds; mineral content absorbed into clinker. Preferred route for high-value fuel waste maintaining energy recovery.
Heavily contaminated fuel tank bottoms or biologically degraded fuel not meeting cement kiln or blending acceptance criteria are incinerated in licensed hazardous waste incinerators with energy recovery. Full fuel characterisation required. Liquids with flash point <60°C may require dedicated liquid waste incineration chamber.
These are the established routes for EWC 13 07. Which one your stream qualifies for depends on its composition, volume and region.
Get the ranked options for your streamPrimary & secondary off-takers
Manage off-spec fuel blending and re-specification at licensed fuel terminal facilities
Co-process high-calorific waste liquid fuels as alternative fuel in cement kiln
Manage aviation fuel waste from quality management and emergency drain operations at airports
Incinerate heavily contaminated waste liquid fuel with energy recovery
Source: NACE Rev.2 — Eurostat, 2008
Key legislative frameworks governing EWC 13 07 classification, transport, and treatment.
Waste diesel and fuel oil are UN 1202 (Gas oil or diesel fuel or heating oil, light) or UN 1267 (Petroleum crude oil) depending on flash point. Petrol waste is UN 1203 (Gasoline). Flash point determines Packing Group: PGI (<23°C), PGII (23–60°C), PGIII (>60°C). Tank vehicle transport standard: EN 13094.
Fuel distributors must demonstrate compliance with EN 590 (diesel) or EN 228 (petrol) specification before placing on market. Off-spec fuel must be removed from product inventory and managed as waste. Re-specification blending operations require competent authority notification in some member states.
Off-spec fuel that can be used directly without reprocessing in the same continuous manufacturing process may qualify as by-product under Article 5. Fuel returned to product by simple blending at terminal may avoid waste classification. Fuel requiring dewatering, filtration or treatment before re-specification is waste and requires hazardous waste management.
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Sectors that valorise EWC 13 07 as an input material or secondary raw material.
Waste-stream pages and resources connected to EWC 13 07 valorisation.
Explore EU waste flows — Waste Atlas
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Source: EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC · NACE Rev.2 — Eurostat 2008
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