Council Directive 91/689/EEC of 12 December 1991 on hazardous waste
Modified by
  • Council Directive 94/31/ECof 27 June 1994amending Directive 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste, 31994L0031, July 2, 1994
  • Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 18 January 2006concerning the establishment of a European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register and amending Council Directives 91/689/EEC and 96/61/EC(Text with EEA relevance), 32006R0166, February 4, 2006
  • Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 19 November 2008on waste and repealing certain Directives(Text with EEA relevance), 32008L0098, November 22, 2008
Corrected by
  • Corrigendum to Council Directive 91/689/EEC of 12 December 1991 on hazardous waste, 31991L0689R(01), January 30, 1998
Council Directiveof 12 December 1991on hazardous waste(91/689/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particluar Article 130s thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the CommissionOJ No C 295, 19.11.1988, p. 8, and OJ No C 42, 22.2.1990, p. 19.,Having regard to the opinion of the European ParliamentOJ No C 158, 26.6.1989, p. 238.,Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social CommitteeOJ No C 56, 6.3.1989, p. 2.,Whereas Council Directive 78/319/EEC of 20 March 1978 on toxic and dangerous wasteOJ No L 84, 31.3.1978, p. 43., established Community rules on the disposal of dangerous waste; whereas in order to take account of experience gained in the implementation of that Directive by the Member States, it is necessary to amend the rules and to replace Directive 78/319/EEC by this Directive;Whereas the Council resolution of 7 May 1990 on waste policyOJ No C 122, 18.5.1990, p. 2. and the action programme of the European Communities on the environment, which was the subject of the resolution of the Council of the European Communities and of the representatives of the Government of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 19 October 1987 on the continuation and implementation of a European Community policy and action programme on the environment (1987 to 1992)OJ No C 328, 7.12.1987, p. 1., envisage Community measures to improve the conditions under which hazardous wastes are disposed of and managed;Whereas the general rules applying to waste management which are laid down by Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on wasteOJ No L 194, 25.7.1975, p. 39., as amended by Directive 91/156/EECOJ No L 78, 26.3.1991, p. 32., also apply to the management of hazardous waste;Whereas the correct management of hazardous waste necessitates additional, more stringent rules to take account of the special nature of such waste;Whereas it is necessary, in order to improve the effectiveness of the management of hazardous waste in the Community, to use a precise and uniform definition of hazardous waste based on experience;Whereas it is necessary to ensure that disposal and recovery of hazardous waste is monitored in the fullest manner possible;Whereas it must be possible rapidly to adapt the provisions of this Directive to scientific and technical progress; whereas the Committee set up by Directive 75/442/EEC must also empowered to adapt the provisions of this Directive to such progress,HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 11.The object of this Directive, drawn up pursuant to Article 2 (2) of Directive 75/442/EEC, is to approximate the laws of the Member States on the controlled management of hazardous waste.2.Subject ot this Directive, Directive 75/442/EEC shall apply to hazardous waste.3.The definition of "waste" and of the other terms used in this Directive shall be those in Directive 75/442/EEC.4.For the purpose of this Directive "hazardous waste" means:waste classified as hazardous waste featuring on the list established by Commission Decision 2000/532/ECOJ L 226, 6.9.2000, p. 3. on the basis of Annexes I and II to this Directive. This waste must have one or more of the properties listed in Annex III. The list shall take into account the origin and composition of the waste and, where necessary, limit values of concentration. This list shall be periodically reviewed and, if necessary revised. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 18(4) of Directive 2006/12/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2006 on wasteOJ L 114, 27.4.2006, p. 9.,any other waste which is considered by a Member State to display any of the properties listed in Annex III. Such cases shall be notified to the Commission and reviewed with a view to adapting the list. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 18(4) of Directive 2006/12/EC.5.Domestic waste shall be exempted from the provisions of this Directive. The Council shall establish, upon a proposal from the Commission, specific rules taking into consideration the particular nature of domestic waste not later than the end of 1992.
Article 21.Member States shall take the necessary measures to require that on every site where tipping (discharge) of hazardous waste takes place the waste is recorded and identified.2.Member States shall take the necessary measures to require that establishment and undertaking which dispose of, recover, collect or transport hazardous waste do not mix different categories of hazardous waste or mix hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste.3.By way of derogation from paragraph 2, the mixing of hazardous waste with other hazardous waste or with other waste, substances or materials may be permitted only where the conditions laid down in Article 4 of Directive 75/442/EEC are complied with and in particular for the purpose of improving safety during disposal or recovery. Such an operation shall be subject to the permit requirement imposed in Articles 9, 10 and 11 of Directive 75/442/EEC.4.Where waste is already mixed with other waste, substances or materials, separation must be effected, where technically and economically feasible, and where necessary in order to comply with Article 4 of Directive 75/442/EEC.
Article 31.The derogation referred to in Article 11 (1) (a) of Directive 75/442/EEC from the permit requirement for establishments or undertakings which carry out their own waste disposal shall not apply to hazardous waste covered by this Directive.2.In accordance with Article 11 (1) (b) of Directive 75/442/EEC, a Member State may waive Article 10 of that Directive for establishments or undertakings which recover waste covered by this Directive:if the Member State adopts general rules listing the type and quantity of waste and laying down specific conditions (limit values for the content of hazardous substances in the waste, emission limit values, type of activity) and other necessary requirements for carrying out different forms of recovery, andif the types or quantities of waste and methods of recovery are such that the conditions laid down in Article 4 of Directive 75/442/EEC are complied with.3.The establishments or undertankings referred to in paragraph 2 shall be registered with the competent authorities.4.If a Member State intends to make use of the provisions of paragraph 2, the rules referred to in that paragraph shall be sent to the Commission not later than three months prior to their coming into force. The Commission shall consult the Member States. In the light of these consultations the Commission shall propose that the rules be finally agreed upon in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 18 of Directive 75/442/EEC.
Article 41.Article 13 of Directive 75/442/EEC shall also apply to producers of hazardous waste.2.Article 14 of Directive 75/442/EEC shall also apply to producers of hazardous waste and to all establishments and undertakings transporting hazardous waste.3.The records referred to in Article 14 of Directive 75/442/EEC must be preserved for at least three years except in the case of establishments and undertakings transporting hazardous waste which must keep such records for at least 12 months. Documentary evidence that the management operations have been carried out must be supplied at the request of the competent authorities or of a previous holder.
Article 51.Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that, in the course of collection, transport and temporary storage, waste is properly packaged and labelled in accordance with the international and Community standards in force.2.In the case of hazardous waste, inspections concerning collection and transport operations made on the basis of Article 13 of Directive 75/442/EEC shall cover more particularly the origin and destination of such waste.3.Where hazardous waste is transferred, it shall be accompanied by an identification form containing the details specified in Section A of Annex I to Council Directive 84/631/EEC of 6 December 1984 on the supervision and control within the European Community of the transfrontier shipment of hazardous wasteOJ No L 326, 13.12.1984, p. 31., as last amended by Directive 86/279/EECOJ No L 181, 4.7.1986, p. 13..
Article 61.As provided in Article 7 of Directive 75/442/EEC, the competent authorities shall draw up, either separately or in the framework of their general waste management plans, plans for the management of hazardous waste and shall make these plans public.2.The Commission shall compare these plans, and in particular the methods of disposal and recovery. It shall make this information available to the competent authorities of the Member States which ask for it.
Article 7In cases of emergency or grave danger, Member States shall take all necessary steps, including, where appropriate, temporary derogations from this Directive, to ensure that hazardous waste is so dealt with as not to constitute a threat to the population or the environment. The Member State shall inform the Commission of any such derogations.
Article 81.In the context of the report provided for in Article 16 (1) of Directive 75/442/EEC, and on the basis of a questionnaire drawn up in accordance with that Article, the Member States shall send the Commission a report on the implementation of this Directive.2.In addition to the consolidated report referred to in Article 16 (2) of Directive 75/442/EEC, the Commission shall report to the European Parliament and the Council every three years on the implementation of this Directive.3.In addition, by 12 December 1994, the Member States shall send the Commission the following information for every establishment or undertaking which carries out disposal and/or recovery of hazardous waste principally on behalf of third parties and which is likely to form part of the integrated network referred to in Article of Directive 75/442/EEC:name and address,the method used to treat waste,the types and quantities of waste which can be treated.Once a year, Member States shall inform the Commission of any changes in this information.The Commission shall make this information available on request to the competent authorities in the Member States.The format in which this information will be supplied to the Commission shall be agreed upon in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 18 of Directive 75/442/EEC.
Article 9The measures necessary for adapting the Annexes of this Directive to scientific and technical progress and for revising the list of wastes referred to in Article 1(4), designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive, inter alia by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 18(4) of Directive 2006/12/EC.
Article 101.Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary for them to comply with this Directive by 27 June 1995. They shall immediately inform the Commission thereof.2.When Member States adopt these measures, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official publication. The methods of making such a reference shall be laid down by the Member States.3.Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field governed by this Directive.
Article 11Directive 78/319/EEC shall be repealed with effect from 27 June 1995.
Article 12This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
nullANNEX ICATEGORIES OR GENERIC TYPES OF HAZARDOUS WASTE LISTED ACCORDING TO THEIR NATURE OR THE ACTIVITY WHICH GENERATED THEMCertain duplications of entries found in Annex II are intentional. (WASTE MAY BE LIQUID, SLUDGE OR SOLID IN FORM)Wastes displaying any of the properties listed in Annex III and which consist of:1.anatomical substances; hospital and other clinical wastes;2.pharmaceuticals, medicines and veterinary compounds;3.wood preservatives;4.biocides and phyto-pharmaceutical substances;5.residue from substances employed as solvents;6.halogenated organic substances not employed as solvents excluding inert polymerized materials;7.tempering salts containing cyanides;8.mineral oils and oily substances (e.g. cutting sludges, etc.);9.oil/water, hydrocarbon/water mixtures, emulsions;10.substances containing PCBs and/or PCTs (e.g. dielectrics etc.);11.tarry materials arising from refining, distillation and any pyrolytic treatment (e.g. still bottoms, etc.);12.inks, dyes, pigments, paints, lacquers, varnishes;13.resins, latex, plasticizers, glues/adhesives;14.chemical substances arising from research and development or teaching activities which are not identified and/or are new and whose effects on man and/or the environment are not known (e.g. laboratory residues, etc.);15.pyrotechnics and other explosive materials;16.photographic chemicals and processing materials;17.any material contaminated with any congener of polychlorinated dibenzo-furan;18.any material contaminated with any congener of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin.ANNEX IICONSTITUENTS OF THE WASTES IN ANNEX I.B. WHICH RENDER THEM HAZARDOUS WHEN THEY HAVE THE PROPERTIES DESCRIBED IN ANNEX IIICertain duplications of generic types of hazardous wastes listed in Annex I are intentional.Wastes having as constituents:C1beryllium; beryllium compounds;C2vanadium compounds;C3chromium (VI) compounds;C4cobalt compounds;C5nickel compounds;C6copper compounds;C7zinc compounds;C8arsenic; arsenic compounds;C9selenium; selenium compounds;C10silver compounds;C11cadmium; cadmium compounds;C12tin compounds;C13antimony; antimony compounds;C14tellurium; tellurium compounds;C15barium compounds; excluding barium sulfate;C16mercury; mercury compounds;C17thallium; thallium compounds;C18lead; lead compounds;C19inorganic sulphides;C20inorganic fluorine compounds, excluding calcium fluoride;C21inorganic cyanides;C22the following alkaline or alkaline earth metals: lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium in uncombined form;C23acidic solutions or acids in solid form;C24basic solutions or bases in solid form;C25asbestos (dust and fibres);C26phosphorus: phosphorus compounds, excluding mineral phosphates;C27metal carbonyls;C28peroxides;C29chlorates;C30perchlorates;C31azides;C32PCBs and/or PCTs;C33pharmaceutical or veterinary coumpounds;C34biocides and phyto-pharmaceutical substances (e.g. pesticides, etc.);C35infectious substances;C36creosotes;C37isocyanates; thiocyanates;C38organic cyanides (e.g. nitriles, etc.);C39phenols; phenol compounds;C40halogenated solvents;C41organic solvents, excluding halogenated solvents;C42organohalogen compounds, excluding inert polymerized materials and other substances referred to in this Annex;C43aromatic compounds; polycyclic and heterocyclic organic compounds;C44aliphatic amines;C45aromatic aminesC46ethers;C47substances of an explosive character, excluding those listed elsewhere in this Annex;C48sulphur organic compounds;C49any congener of polychlorinated dibenzo-furan;C50any congener of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin;C51hydrocarbons and their oxygen; nitrogen and/or sulphur compounds not otherwise taken into account in this Annex.Annex IIIPROPERTIES OF WASTES WHICH RENDER THEM HAZARDOUSH1"Explosive": substances and preparations which may explode under the effect of flame or which are more sensitive to shocks or friction than dinitrobenzene.H2"Oxidizing": substances and preparations which exhibit highly exothermic reactions when in contact with other substances, particularly flammable substances.H3-A"Highly flammable":liquid substances and preparations having a flash point below 21 °C (including extremely flammable liquids), orsubstances and preparations which may become hot and finally catch fire in contact with air at ambient temperature without any application of energy, orsolid substances and preparations which may readily catch fire after brief contact with a source of ignition and which continue to burn or to be consumed after removal of the source of ignition, orgaseous substances and preparations which are flammable in air at normal pressure, orsubstances and preparations which, in contact with water or damp air, evolve highly flammable gases in dangerous quantities.H3-B"Flammable": liquid substances and preparations having a flash point equal to or greater than 21 °C and less than or equal to 55 °C.H4"Irritant": non-corrosive substances and preparations which, through immediate, prolonged or repeated contact with the skin or mucous membrane, can cause inflammation.H5"harmful": substances and preparations which, if they are inhaled or ingested or if they penetrate the skin, may involve limited health risks.H6"Toxic": substances and preparations (including very toxic substances and preparations) which, if they are inhaled or ingested or if they penetrate the skin, may involve serious, acute or chronic health risks and even death.H7"Carcinogenic": substances and preparations which, if they are inhaled or ingested or if they penetrate the skin, may induce cancer or increase its incidence.H8"Corrosive": substances and preparations which may destroy living tissue on contacts.H9"Infectious": substances containing viable micro-organisms or their toxins which are known or reliably believed to cause disease in man or other living organisms.H10"Teratogenic": substances and preparations which, if they are inhaled or ingested or if they penetrate the skin, may induce non-hereditary congenital malformations or increase their incidence.H11"Mutagenic": substances and preparations which, if they are inhaled or ingested or if they penetrate the skin, may induce hereditary genetic defects or increase their incidence.H12Substances and preparations which release toxic or very toxic gases in contact with water, air or an acid.H13Substances and preparations capable by any means, after disposal, of yielding another substance, e.g. a leachate, which possesses any of the characteristics listed above.H14"Ecotoxic": substances and preparations which present or may present immediate or delayed risks for one or more sectors of the environment.Notes1.Attribution of the hazard properties "toxic" (and "very toxic"), "harmful", "corrosive" and "irritant" is made on the basis of the criteria laid down by Annex VI, part I A and part II B, of Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 of the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substancesOJ No L 196, 16.8.1967, p. 1., in the version as amended by Council Directive 79/831/EECOJ No L 259, 15.10.1979, p. 10..2.With regard to attribution of the properties "carcinogenic", "teratogenic" and "mutagenic", and reflecting the most recent findings, additional criteria are contained in the Guide to the classification and labelling of dangerous substances and preparations of Annex VI (part II D) to Directive 67/548/EEC in the version as amended by Commission Directive 83/467/EECOJ No L 257, 16.9.1983, p. 1..Test methodsThe test methods serve to give specific meaning to the definitions given in Annex III.The methods to be used are those described in Annex V to Directive 67/548/EEC, in the version as amended by Commission Directive 84/449/EECOJ No L 251, 19.9.1984, p. 1., or by subsequent Commission Directives adapting Directive 67/548/EEC to technical progress. These methods are themselves based on the work and recommendations of the competent international bodies, in particular the OECD.