The classification as waste first and foremost ensures traceability and accountability of waste producers and haulers notably to prevent the illegal discard of waste, including dumping in nature or illegally landfilling, of safety issues which could arise by managing waste or certain types of waste.

In parallel, to promote the recovery of recycled and organic materials (such as clippings and prunings), the regulation on fertilising Products[1] allows material that constitutes waste, as defined in the Waste Framework Directive[2], to cease to be waste, if it is contained in a compliant EU fertilising product.

The regulation provides harmonised conditions for making fertilisers made from such recycled or organic materials available on the entire internal market, to provide an important incentive for their further use.

In all cases, Member States have the freedom to set such end of waste criteria at national level in order to facilitate its further usage, if a number of criteria are met to ensure safety, as set by per Article 6 of the Waste Framework Directive.

To further facilitate the process and in a view of simplification and further harmonisation, the Circular Economy Act which the Commission indents to adopt by end 2026 will propose improvements in the procedures for the adoption of national and EU-level ‘end of waste’ criteria to facilitate the transition from waste to valuable secondary raw materials.

Last updated: 3 July 2025