End-of-waste criteria for copper and copper alloy scrap: technical proposals

This report is the JRC-IPTS contribution to the development of the end-of-waste criteria for copper and copper alloy scrap in accordance with Article 6 of Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste (the Waste Framework Directive). This report includes a possible set of end-of-waste criteria and shows how the proposals were developed based on a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of copper and copper alloy recycling and an analysis of the economic, environmental and legal impacts when copper scrap cease to be wastes. The purpose of end-of-waste criteria is to avoid confusion about the waste definition and to clarify when certain waste that has undergone recovery ceases to be waste. Recycling should be supported by creating legal certainty and an equal level playing field and by removing unnecessary administrative burdens. The end-of-waste criteria should provide a high level of environmental protection and an environmental and economic benefit.