Waste code
EWC 02 03 04: materials unsuitable for consumption or processing
02 03 04
Typed into Defra's service and Byrne Waste Tracking as 020304. It is not a hazardous entry.
Who takes it
181 permitted sites in England recorded taking 02 03 04 in their 2024 returns to the Environment Agency.
- 18% of anaerobic digestion plants
- 10% of composting sites
What happens to it
The recovery or disposal code those sites recorded most for 02 03 04 in 2024 (the code each site used for most of its tonnes):
| Code | Means | Sites |
|---|
| R3 | recycling organic substances | 48% |
| R13 | storage pending recovery | 17% |
| D15 | storage pending disposal | 10% |
| D5 | | 6% |
The right code is the one on your own permit and transfer notes - this is what other sites did, not a rule. R and D codes explained.
Easy to mix up
- 02 03 01 sludges from washing, cleaning, peeling, centrifuging and separation
- 02 03 02 wastes from preserving agents
- 02 03 03 wastes from solvent extraction
Recording it for Defra: every load needs its own record within two working days of the day after it arrives. In Byrne Waste Tracking you tap this code once and it is remembered for the next load; it checks each load against Defra's rules before it saves and sends it to Defra by itself once your Defra account is linked. £89 a site a month, no contract. Start free · Using Defra's spreadsheet? Check it free