Excavated earth and rocks on site: by-product or waste?
Excavated earth and rocks can be by-products or waste, depending on the applicable regulatory criteria. Correct qualification determines the obligations and the documentation required: here are the main criteria.
By-product or waste?
Excavated material is a by-product when it meets all the requirements provided for: certainty of use, the possibility of direct use without prior processing, compliance with the environmental requirements and destination to a production process or to a construction work.
When it is waste
Where the by-product requirements are not met, the material is waste and must be classified with the EWC code, managed and traced with consignment notes and registers.
The documentation
For materials managed as by-products, the producer's declaration and the required documentation are needed. For excavation waste, classification and traceability are required.
Management on site
Management must be planned at the design stage and during the works, distinguishing the flows and preparing consistent documentation.
Arch. Carola Novara
Architetto · Responsabile Tecnico · RSPP
Architetto specializzato in sostenibilità, ha conseguito i Master in Management e Business (Bologna Business School) e in Data Analysis e Digital Transformation. Vanta una solida esperienza nella gestione di grandi cantieri di bonifica da amianto e terre, prevalentemente nell'area di Milano, nei ruoli di Responsabile Tecnico e RSPP. Ha lavorato all'estero in contesti post-emergenziali (Giappone, Nepal, Olanda). Con sede a Torino, è Responsabile Tecnico categoria 1 per Asti e provincia presso l'ASP di Asti.
Frequently asked questions
In some cases the legislation requires characterisation and analyses. We assess what is needed for your site.
Related insights
Waste from construction sites: how to manage it correctly
Construction and demolition waste: classification, temporary storage, documentation and traceability obligations on site.
How to assign the correct EWC code to waste: the European list, the check on hazardous properties and the mistakes to avoid.
Related services
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