EWC Code
Waste organic solvents, refrigerants and propellants
EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC — Official Journal L 226, 06/09/2000Annual Volume
1.2 million tonnes/year EU waste refrigerant and solvent
Valorisation Range
€850M refrigerant recovery and solvent re-distillation market
Primary Route
Refrigerant recovery and reclamation
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Get contacts for EWC 14 06Chapter 14 contains a single 4-digit sub-chapter (14 06) covering all waste organic solvents, refrigerants and propellants not classified elsewhere. Refrigerants represent the largest waste stream by economic value: fluorinated refrigerants (HFCs, HCFCs, CFCs) must be recovered during service and at end-of-life under EU F-Gas Regulation 517/2014 and Montreal Protocol obligations. Refrigerant recovery, recycling and reclamation is a specialist sector with certified operators.
Ozone-depleting substances including R-11 (CFC-11), R-12 (CFC-12) and R-22 (HCFC-22) are subject to Regulation 1005/2009 and cannot be recovered for reuse — they must be destroyed by high-temperature incineration. Modern HFC refrigerants (R-134a, R-404A, R-410A) can be recovered, purified to AHRI 700 specification and re-sold for reuse, providing significant economic incentive for recovery. Natural refrigerants (ammonia, CO₂, propane) have no global warming potential but require specialist handling.
Aerosol propellants including butane, propane, dimethyl ether and HFCs are generated when aerosol containers are punctured for recycling. Propellant gas is flammable (butane/propane) or has global warming potential (HFCs) requiring controlled collection and recovery. Industrial solvents including chlorinated solvents (trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene), ketones, esters and alcohols are recovered by distillation for reuse where purity meets specification.
Typical Generators
Established valorisation pathways for EWC 14 06, ranked by economic value and market depth. Refrigerant recovery and reclamation is the primary route.
F-Gas certified engineers recover refrigerant during service and decommissioning using approved recovery equipment. Recovered refrigerant is transferred to F-Gas certified reclaimers who purify to AHRI 700 specification by distillation, filtration and moisture removal. Reclaimed refrigerant is re-sold equivalent to virgin product. Recovery certificate issued per cylinder.
Contaminated industrial solvents (ketones, esters, alcohols, chlorinated solvents) are re-distilled by licensed solvent recovery operators to recover >95% purity solvent for reuse in original or alternative application. Distillation residues containing higher-boiling impurities are incinerated. Closed-loop solvent management under WFD end-of-waste criteria reduces waste volumes.
Ozone-depleting substances including CFC and HCFC refrigerants must be destroyed at approved ODS destruction facilities (plasma arc, high-temperature incineration >1100°C). F-Gas Regulation 517/2014 prohibits any reuse of ODS refrigerants. Destruction certificate provides compliance evidence for operator records under F-Gas reporting requirements.
These are the established routes for EWC 14 06. Which one your stream qualifies for depends on its composition, volume and region.
Get the ranked options for your streamPrimary & secondary off-takers
Recover refrigerant during HVAC service and decommissioning using F-Gas certified equipment and personnel
Reclaim recovered HFC refrigerants to AHRI 700 specification for re-sale as reclaimed refrigerant
Recover and re-distil agricultural aerosol solvent and propellant waste
Destroy ODS refrigerants at approved plasma arc or high-temperature incineration facility
Source: NACE Rev.2 — Eurostat, 2008
Key legislative frameworks governing EWC 14 06 classification, transport, and treatment.
Article 8 prohibits venting of fluorinated greenhouse gases and requires recovery during service, maintenance and end-of-life decommissioning. Only F-Gas certified companies and personnel may handle refrigerants. Phase-down schedule under Regulation reduces HFC supply; reclaimed refrigerant increasingly important for servicing installed base. Companies operating equipment with >3 kg of F-Gas must maintain leak check logs.
CFCs and HCFCs listed in Annex I and II are ozone-depleting substances subject to production and import bans. Recovered ODS must be stored in approved containers and destroyed at facilities approved by EU Member States. Destruction technology approved under UNEP Technology and Economic Assessment Panel. No exceptions for reuse of CFC refrigerants after recovery.
Trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) are subject to Annex XIV authorisation under REACH for use in vapour degreasing. Waste TCE and PCE classified hazardous due to carcinogen classification (H350). Recovery and re-distillation for in-house reuse is permitted without authorisation; supply to third parties of recovered solvent requires authorisation.
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Sectors that valorise EWC 14 06 as an input material or secondary raw material.
Waste-stream pages and resources connected to EWC 14 06 valorisation.
Explore EU waste flows — Waste Atlas
Visualise 17 years of E-PRTR industrial facility data. See how EWC 14 06 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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