NACEClass

NACE 38.21Materials recovery

Class · Statistical Classification of Economic Activities (Rev. 2.1 (2023))

Where 38.21 sits

  1. E Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
  2. 38 Waste collection, recovery and disposal activities
  3. 38.2 Waste recovery
  4. 38.21 Materials recovery

What 38.21 includes

  • 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

What 38.21 excludes

  • Manufacture of new final products from secondary raw materials, whether or not self-manufactured (e.g. spinning yarn from garnetted stock, making pulp from paper waste, retreading tyres or the production of metal from metal scrap), see corresponding classes in section C
  • Reprocessing of nuclear fuels, see 20.13
  • Remelting of plastics to produce granulates or compounds, see 20.16
  • Remelting ferrous waste and scrap, see 24.10
  • Production of biogas from waste for gas supply, see 35.21
  • Energy recovery during waste thermal treatment, see 38.22
  • Disposal of waste without recovery and treatment prior to disposal, see 38.3
  • Wholesale of recoverable materials, see 46.87

38.21 in other systems

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