Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community, Rev. 2.1 (NACE Rev. 2.1) - Section E

This section includes activities related to the management, collection, pretreatment, recovery and disposal, of various forms of waste (for example, solid or non-solid industrial or household waste) and its organisation.

The output of the waste or sewage treatment process can either be disposed of or become an input into other production processes. Secondary raw materials are materials and products which can be used as raw materials by simple reuse, or via recycling and recovery of waste. Activities of water supply are also grouped in this section, since they are often carried out in connection with, or by units also engaged in, the treatment of sewage.

The activities also include remediation of contaminated buildings and sites, soil, surface and groundwater (for example, oceans, mangroves, seas), and so on.

Units that usually take over their clients’ waste procedures and become the customer of the waste hauler, and then in turn charge their clients for waste services, are classified in division 38. Even if these units do not render the corresponding services themselves, they are responsible for their fulfilment. This activity is regarded as the complete outsourcing of a service.

This division includes the collection, treatment and distribution of water to the end user. Collection of water from various sources, as well as distribution by various means is included.

This class includes:
- abstraction of water from rivers, lakes and groundwater
- treatment of water for the water supply
- desalting of sea or groundwater to produce water as the principal product of interest
- distribution of water through mains, by trucks or other means
- rainwater collection

This division includes the operation of sewerage systems or sewage treatment facilities, which collect, treat and discharge sewage into water bodies or operate surface impoundment.

This class includes:
- operation of wastewater treatment facilities for reuse (e.g. of agricultural, industrial and road cleaning wastewater or collected rainwater), or for artificial recharge or augmentation of groundwater bodies
- collection and transport of wastewater from users (e.g. households or industrial units)
- collection and transport of rainwater by means of sewerage networks, collectors, tanks and other means of transport (e.g. sewage vehicles, etc.)
- maintenance and cleaning of sewers and drains, including sewer rodding

This division includes the collection, pretreatment for recovery or disposal, recovery and disposal of waste materials and its organisation. Collection of waste which solely supports the subsequent recovery or disposal of the collected waste by the same unit is to be regarded as waste recovery or as a disposal activity.

This group includes the collection of waste from households and businesses (for example, by means of bins, containers). It includes collection of non-hazardous and hazardous waste (for example, diapers, used batteries, demolition waste, waste oil from households and ships).

This class includes:
- collection of non-hazardous solid waste (i.e. garbage) within a local area (e.g. from households and businesses), by means of refuse bins, wheeled bins and containers, which may contain mixed recoverable materials
- collection of recyclable materials (separated or not)
- collection of non-hazardous waste of animal or vegetal origin
- collection of used cooking oils and fats
- collection of refuse in public places
- collection of yard waste

This class includes the collection of hazardous waste (for example, explosive, oxidising, flammable toxic, irritant, carcinogenic, corrosive, infectious and other substances) and preparations harmful for human health and the environment. The activities may also include identification, treatment, packaging and labelling of waste for the purposes of transport.

This class includes:
- collection of hazardous waste, e.g.:
 • used oil from ships or garages
 • paints and varnishes
 • biohazardous waste
 • hazardous waste of animal origin
 • nuclear waste
 • collection of expired pharmaceuticals
 • used batteries

This group includes waste pretreatment and recovery of both non-hazardous and hazardous waste. Included are materials recovery, energy recovery resulting from thermal treatment of waste and other forms of waste recovery. Treatment prior to recovery of various forms of waste by different means is also included in the group.

This class includes the processing of metal and non-metal waste, including scrap and other articles into secondary raw materials.

Further included is the recovery of materials from waste streams in the form of: (1) separating and sorting recoverable materials from non-hazardous waste streams; or (2) separating and sorting of commingled recoverable materials (for example, paper, plastics, used beverage cans and metals) into distinct categories.

Examples of the mechanical or chemical transformation processes that are undertaken include:
- mechanical crushing and shredding of metal waste (e.g. from used cars, washing machines or motorcycles)
- mechanical reduction of large iron pieces (e.g. railway wagons)
- recovery of iron from clinker
- reclaiming metals out of photographic waste (e.g. fixer solution or photographic films and paper)
- dismantling of wrecks of any type (automobiles, ships, computers, televisions and other equipment) for materials recovery
- producing of rubber powder from rubber waste and scrap, including decontamination, division (elimination) of fractions and devulcanising
- sorting and mechanical processing (e.g. cleaning, grinding) of plastics to produce secondary raw materials
- processing (ageing, cleaning, sorting) of incineration bottom ash into secondary raw materials (metals, aggregates)
- crushing, cleaning and sorting of glass
- crushing, cleaning and sorting of other waste (e.g. demolition waste to obtain secondary raw materials)
- processing of food, beverage and tobacco waste and residual substances into secondary raw materials
- recovery of waste oil, processing of used cooking oils and fats into secondary raw materials
- extraction of silver from waste chemicals, other than by electrolytic refining
- recovery of phosphorus from the incineration of sewage sludge
- recovery of textile and clothing products by mechanical, thermal or chemical processes
- production of waste compost
- production of biogas from waste, not for the purpose of gas or energy supply

This class includes pretreatment of waste for energy recovery, conversion of waste materials (for example, into usable heat or electricity), through a variety of processes, which include thermal treatment.

This class includes:
- preparation of sewage sludge for land treatment resulting in benefits to agriculture or ecological improvement
- preparation of non-hazardous waste for reclamation in excavated areas or for engineering purposes in landscaping

This group includes waste disposal of both non-hazardous and hazardous waste. Included are thermal treatment without energy recovery, landfilling, release in bodies of water and permanent storage of waste. Treatment prior to disposal of various forms of waste by different means (for example, the treatment of organic waste with the aim of disposal; the treatment and disposal of toxic live or dead animals and other contaminated waste; the treatment and disposal of transitional radioactive waste from hospitals, etc.) are also included.

This class includes the disposal and treatment prior to disposal of waste by combustion or thermal treatment without energy recovery.

This class includes the disposal and treatment prior to disposal of non-hazardous or hazardous waste, whether the waste is solid or not, onto or into land (i.e. underground), or in permanent waste storage facilities or sites.

This class includes:
- operation of landfills for the disposal of waste
- treatment of organic waste for landfilling or permanent storage
- disposal of by-products of animal origin in landfills

This class includes:
- release of liquid waste to seas/oceans or other water bodies, including seabed insertion
- injection of pumpable discards into wells, salt domes or naturally occurring repositories

This division includes the provision of remediation services (for example, cleaning up contaminated buildings, sites, soil, surface or groundwater).

This class includes:
- decontamination of soils and groundwater at the place of pollution, either in situ or ex situ, using, e.g. mechanical, chemical or biological methods
- decontamination of industrial plants or sites, including nuclear plants and sites
- decontamination and cleaning up of surface water following accidental pollution (e.g. through collection of pollutants or through application of chemicals)
- cleaning up oil spills and other pollutions on land, in surface water, in ocean and seas, including coastal areas
- asbestos, lead paint and other toxic material abatement
- clearing of landmines, etc., including detonation at the site
- other specialised pollution-control activities
- carbon capture activities
- remediation of mining sites