The EWC is used to derive a code (six numbers in 3 sets of 2) that adequately describes the waste being transported, handled or treated.
Initial assessment for the majority of wastes follows a simple derivation of industry (some 20 main categories) from which they were originally obtained (Agricultural, wood working (furniture), Electronics, etc.
Each member states Environment Agency throughout the European Union is obligated to adopt the EWC in its reporting methods and to enforce its use by the respective waste management sector.
[1] Submissions by Waste Management Companies to their respective Member states Environmental Agency are collated, in many instances by conversion to EWC STAT (European Waste Catalogue for Statistics)[2] for submission to the EU, who oversees all member states and ensures compliance with unilaterally agreed standards and recycling rates.
Deciding whether a mirror entry is hazardous or non-hazardous by composition involves reference to the Approved Supply List (ASL) initially.
If a substance is not listed in the ASL then the regulations permit the use of other sources such as Manufacturer's Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to classify the waste.