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Classification of hazardous waste
Before hazardous waste can be entered into the waste stream by UCL Estates, it must be correctly classified using the List of Waste Regulations.
On this page
- Definitions of hazardous waste classifications
- Batteries
- Office equipment
- Chemicals
- Solvents
- Biological
- Substances
- Bottled gases
- Cleaning
- Equipment
The List of Waste Regulations (LoW) contains over 800 different waste entries, arranged into chapters and sub-chapters. This webpage lists the most common hazardous waste codes for hazardous waste produced by UCL.
Departmental Hazardous Waste Plans will list the hazardous waste and associated codes present in the department and risk assessments should refer to the Hazardous Waste Plan.
Each grouping or type of waste has a unique code and is placed into one of the following four categories.
- Absolute Hazardous (AH)
- Mirror Hazardous (MH)
- Mirror Non-hazardous (MN)
- Absolute Non-hazardous (AN)
Definitions of hazardous waste classifications
- Absolute Hazardous (AH)
- Absolute Hazardous (AH) waste is substances (or mixtures) that are classified as hazardous waste no matter how small the amount
- Absolute Hazardous waste does not have a threshold concentration
- At UCL waste that is classed as Absolute Hazardous often has its own waste stream and procedures to ensure its safe management e.g. clinical waste (waste from research resulting from human or animal care) is subject to special requirements to prevent infection
- Mirror Hazardous (MH)
- Mirror Hazardous (MH) waste is only hazardous waste if the hazardous substance or substances within it are present above the threshold concentration and therefore not all laboratory waste is hazardous and should be sent to the correct waste stream
- It is important to remember that substances that are hazardous to the environment are still hazardous
- Mirror Hazardous (MH) waste will normally fall into the hazardous waste collections, the most common waste stream is Laboratory waste
- Mirror Non-hazardous (MN)
- Mirror Non-hazardous (MN) substances are identified as hazardous in the Safety Data Sheet but are in quantities small enough to be below the threshold concentrations for each instance of waste disposal
- Mirror Non-hazardous waste can be disposed down the sink when they are soluble in water and do not bioaccumulate through the domestic non-hazardous streams
- Absolute Non-hazardous (AN)
- Absolute Non-hazardous (AN) waste is not hazardous in any way
- Absolute Non-hazardous waste should be sent to the correct domestic non-hazardous waste stream or, when reusing laboratory equipment, use the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF)
List of Waste Codes
Batteries
Description | Entry Type | List of Waste Code |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 06 01 |
| Ni-Cd | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 06 02 |
| Mercury-containing | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 06 03 |
| Alkaline (that do not contain mercury) | Absolute Non-Hazardous (AN) | 16 06 04 |
| Others including Lithium-ion | Absolute Non Hazardous (AN) | 16 06 05 |
Office equipment
Description | Entry Type | List of Waste Code |
|---|---|---|
Hazardous components from discarded electrical and electronic equipment | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 02 15 |
| Waste printing toner containing hazardous substances | Mirror Hazardous (MH) | 08 03 17 |
| Waste printing toner other than those containing hazardous substances | Mirror Non-hazardous (MN) | 08 03 18 |
| 3D printer parts | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 02 15 |
| Discarded electrical and electronic equipment containing hazardous components but not florescent tubes, mercury or CFCs | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 20 01 35 |
| Discarded electrical and electronic equipment with no hazardous components | Absolute Non-hazardous (AN) | 20 01 36 |
Chemicals
Description | Entry Type | List of Waste Code |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratory chemicals consisting of or containing hazardous substances, including mixtures of laboratory chemicals | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 16 05 06 |
| Chemicals used in the research of human health care consisting of hazardous or containing hazardous substances | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 18 01 06 |
| Chemicals used in the research of animal health care consisting of hazardous or containing hazardous substances | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 18 02 06 |
| Discarded inorganic chemicals consisting of or containing hazardous substances | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 16 05 07 |
| Discarded organic chemicals consisting of or containing hazardous substances | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 16 05 08 |
| Discarded chemicals other than those mentioned on (16 05 06, 16 05 07 and 16 05 08) | Mirror Non-hazardous (MN) | 16 05 09 |
| Chemicals used in the research of human health care consisting of no hazardous substances | Mirror Non-hazardous (MN) | 18 01 07 |
| Chemicals used in the research of animal health care consisting of no hazardous substances | Mirror Non-hazardous (MN) | 08 02 07 |
| Electrolyte waste that is not batteries or accumulators | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 06 06 |
Solvents
Description | Entry Type | List of Waste Code |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid waste organic solvents, chlorofluorocarbons | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 14 06 01 |
| Liquid waste organic solvents, halogenated solvents and solvent mixtures | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 14 06 02 |
| Liquid waste organic solvents, other solvents and solvent mixtures | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 14 06 03 |
| Solid waste (including sludge) containing halogenated solvents | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 14 06 04 |
| Solid waste (including sludge) containing other solvents | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 14 06 05 |
Biological
Description | Entry Type | List of Waste Code |
|---|---|---|
| Waste from research or the health care of humans Waste subject to special requirements to prevent infection | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 18 01 03 |
| Waste from research or the health care of humans Sharps (no requirement to prevent infection) | Absolute Non-hazardous (AN) | 18 01 01 |
| Waste from research or the health care of humans Body parts, organs, including blood bags and blood preserves | Absolute Non-hazardous (AN) | 18 01 02 |
| Waste from research or the health care of humans Waste of disposal equipment such as bandages, dressings and casts (no requirement to prevent infection) | Absolute Non-hazardous (AN) | 18 01 04 |
| Waste from research or the health care of animals Waste subject to special requirements to prevent infection | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 18 02 02 |
| Waste from research or the health care of animals Sharps (no requirement to prevent infection) | Absolute Non-hazardous (AN) | 18 02 01 |
| Waste from research or health care of animals Animal tissue waste | Absolute Non-hazardous (AN) | 02 01 02 |
| Waste from research or health care of animals including animal faeces, spoiled straw and other effluents | Absolute Non-hazardous (AN) | 20 01 06 |
| Waste plant material | Absolute Non-hazardous (AN) | 02 01 03 |
Substances
Description | Entry Type | List of Waste Code |
|---|---|---|
| Metallic mercury | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 03 07 |
| Amalgam waste from dental waste | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 18 01 10 |
| Other explosive waste (not ammunition or firework waste) | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 04 03 |
| Oxidizing substances - permanganates | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 09 01 |
| Oxidizing substances – chromates | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 09 02 |
| Oxidizing substances – peroxides | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 09 03 |
| Oxidizing substances – not otherwise specified | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 16 09 04 |
| Cytotoxins and cytostatic medicines used for human care | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 18 01 08 |
| Cytotoxins and cytostatic medicines used for animal care | Absolute Hazardous (AH) | 18 02 08 |
| Medicines used for human care not containing cytotoxins | Absolute Non-Hazardous (AN) | 18 01 09 |
| Medicines used for animal care not containing cytotoxins | Absolute Non-Hazardous (AN) | 18 02 09 |
| Plastic shaving and turnings (3D printer waste) | Absolute Non-Hazardous (AN) | 12 01 05 |
Bottled gases
Description | Entry Type | List of Waste Code |
|---|---|---|
| Gases in pressure containers (including halons) containing hazardous substances | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 16 05 04 |
| Gases in pressure containers other than those mentioned on (16 05 04) | Mirror Non-hazard (MN) | 16 05 05 |
Cleaning
Description | Entry Type | List of Waste Code |
|---|---|---|
| Wastes from tank and barrel cleaning – containing oil | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 16 07 08 |
| Wastes from tank and barrel cleaning – containing other hazardous substances | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 16 07 09 |
| Wastes from tank and barrel cleaning – not otherwise specified | Mirror Non-hazard (MN) | 06 07 99 |
Equipment
Description | Entry Type | List of Waste Code |
|---|---|---|
Glass, plastic and wood containing or contaminated with dangerous substances | Mirror Hazard (MH) | 07 02 04 |
Last updated: Thursday, May 5, 2022
We encourage all staff and students to report accidents, hazards and near misses when they happen.