1. What is waste?

1.1 Definition at Community level

At European level, waste is defined as "any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard". Waste thus enjoys a specific legal status, the aim of which is to avoid the risks to the environment and public health that could be associated with its abandonment. The classification of waste entails the obligation to respect a certain number of precautions necessary to ensure its proper management, i.e. its collection, transport, recovery and disposal with due respect for the environment and human health.

Regulations and case law stipulate the conditions under which waste can cease to be waste.