EWC code for asbestos
Asbestos is always hazardous waste. There is no clean version and no transfer-note shortcut. Construction materials containing asbestos are coded 17 06 05*, and asbestos insulation is 17 06 01*.
Construction materials containing asbestos
Asbestos is always hazardous
Unlike most wastes, asbestos has no non-hazardous version. Every asbestos entry in the List of Waste carries the asterisk, so it is hazardous whatever its condition. The main codes are:
- 17 06 05* construction materials containing asbestos: cement sheets, roofing, floor tiles, soffits and similar bonded materials.
- 17 06 01* insulation materials containing asbestos: lagging, sprayed coatings and insulation board.
Both need a hazardous waste consignment note, a registered carrier, and a receiving site that is permitted to accept asbestos. A waste transfer note is never enough.
Handling and paperwork
Asbestos has strict handling rules on top of the EWC code. It should be kept wetted where practical, double-wrapped or double-bagged in clearly labelled red and clear packaging, and kept separate from other waste so a load is never cross-contaminated. The consignment note travels with it from your site to the licensed disposal point, and you keep your copy for at least three years.
This is serious: mis-describing asbestos as general construction waste, or sending it with only a transfer note, is a significant breach of duty of care and can lead to prosecution. When in doubt, treat suspected asbestos as asbestos until it is tested.