R codes are the recovery operations in Annex II of the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC, and D codes are the disposal operations in Annex I. The wording below is the official text of the UK version on legislation.gov.uk, taken on 3 November 2026; the "In plain words" line under each code is this site's own shorthand. (Annex II; Annex I)
This guide is not legal advice; the annexes linked give the law's own words.
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Recovery operations (Annex II)
- R1
Use principally as a fuel or other means to generate energy
In plain words: Use as a fuel or to generate energy
Annex note: This includes incineration facilities dedicated to the processing of municipal solid waste only where their energy efficiency is equal to or above 0,60 for installations in operation and permitted in accordance with applicable Community legislation before 1 January 2009, or 0,65 for installations permitted after 31 December 2008. Annex II sets out the energy efficiency formula and a climate correction factor.
- R2
Solvent reclamation/regeneration
In plain words: Solvent reclamation or regeneration
- R3
Recycling/reclamation of organic substances which are not used as solvents (including composting and other biological transformation processes)
In plain words: Recycling of organic substances, including composting
Annex note: This includes preparing for re-use, gasification and pyrolysis using the components as chemicals and recovery of organic materials in the form of backfilling.
- R4
Recycling/reclamation of metals and metal compounds
In plain words: Recycling of metals and metal compounds
Annex note: This includes preparing for re-use.
- R5
Recycling/reclamation of other inorganic materials
In plain words: Recycling of other inorganic materials, including soil and road sub-base use
Annex note: This includes preparing for re-use, recycling of inorganic construction materials, recovery of inorganic materials in the form of backfilling, and soil cleaning resulting in recovery of the soil.
- R6
Regeneration of acids or bases
In plain words: Regeneration of acids or bases
- R7
Recovery of components used for pollution abatement
In plain words: Recovery of components used for pollution abatement
- R8
Recovery of components from catalysts
In plain words: Recovery of components from catalysts
- R9
Oil re-refining or other reuses of oil
In plain words: Oil re-refining or other reuse of oil
- R10
Land treatment resulting in benefit to agriculture or ecological improvement
In plain words: Land treatment that benefits agriculture or ecology
- R11
Use of waste obtained from any of the operations numbered R 1 to R 10
In plain words: Use of waste obtained from operations R1 to R10
- R12
Exchange of waste for submission to any of the operations numbered R 1 to R 11
In plain words: Exchange of waste for operations R1 to R11, including pre-treatment
Annex note: If there is no other R code appropriate, this can include preliminary operations prior to recovery including pre-processing such as, inter alia, dismantling, sorting, crushing, compacting, pelletising, drying, shredding, conditioning, repackaging, separating, blending or mixing prior to submission to any of the operations numbered R1 to R11.
- R13
Storage of waste pending any of the operations numbered R 1 to R 12 (excluding temporary storage, pending collection, on the site where the waste is produced)
In plain words: Storage pending operations R1 to R12
Annex note: Temporary storage means preliminary storage according to point (10) of Article 3.
Disposal operations (Annex I)
- D1
Deposit into or on to land (e.g. landfill, etc.)
In plain words: Deposit into or onto land (landfill)
- D2
Land treatment (e.g. biodegradation of liquid or sludgy discards in soils, etc.)
In plain words: Land treatment, for example biodegradation of liquid or sludgy discards in soils
- D3
Deep injection (e.g. injection of pumpable discards into wells, salt domes or naturally occurring repositories, etc.)
In plain words: Deep injection
- D4
Surface impoundment (e.g. placement of liquid or sludgy discards into pits, ponds or lagoons, etc.)
In plain words: Surface impoundment (pits, ponds, lagoons)
- D5
Specially engineered landfill (e.g. placement into lined discrete cells which are capped and isolated from one another and the environment, etc.)
In plain words: Specially engineered landfill
- D6
Release into a water body except seas/oceans
In plain words: Release into a water body except seas or oceans
- D7
Release to seas/oceans including sea-bed insertion
In plain words: Release into seas or oceans, including sea-bed insertion
- D8
Biological treatment not specified elsewhere in this Annex which results in final compounds or mixtures which are discarded by means of any of the operations numbered D 1 to D 12
In plain words: Biological treatment not specified elsewhere
- D9
Physico-chemical treatment not specified elsewhere in this Annex which results in final compounds or mixtures which are discarded by means of any of the operations numbered D 1 to D 12 (e.g. evaporation, drying, calcination, etc.)
In plain words: Physico-chemical treatment not specified elsewhere
- D10
Incineration on land
In plain words: Incineration on land without energy recovery
- D11
Incineration at sea
In plain words: Incineration at sea
Annex note: This operation is prohibited by EU legislation and international conventions.
- D12
Permanent storage (e.g. emplacement of containers in a mine, etc.)
In plain words: Permanent storage
- D13
Blending or mixing prior to submission to any of the operations numbered D 1 to D 12
In plain words: Blending or mixing before operations D1 to D12
Annex note: If there is no other D code appropriate, this can include preliminary operations prior to disposal including pre-processing such as, inter alia, sorting, crushing, compacting, pelletising, drying, shredding, conditioning or separating prior to submission to any of the operations numbered D1 to D12.
- D14
Repackaging prior to submission to any of the operations numbered D 1 to D 13
In plain words: Repackaging before operations D1 to D13
- D15
Storage pending any of the operations numbered D 1 to D 14 (excluding temporary storage, pending collection, on the site where the waste is produced)
In plain words: Storage pending operations D1 to D14
Annex note: Temporary storage means preliminary storage according to point (10) of Article 3.
Sources
- Directive 2008/98/EC, Annex II: recovery operations R1-R13 (UK version, legislation.gov.uk)
- Directive 2008/98/EC, Annex I: disposal operations D1-D15 (UK version, legislation.gov.uk)
The waste code on a note is different: the EWC code finder.
Checked 3 November 2026.
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