HP14: Ecotoxic
Waste which presents or may present immediate or delayed risks for one or more sectors of the environment.
What this usually means in practice
HP14 is the environmental hazard category and is often one of the most calculation-heavy HP codes. It applies where the waste poses immediate or delayed risks to water, ecosystems or the wider environment.
Definition
Exact definition wording taken from WM3 Appendix C / Annex III for this hazardous property.
waste which presents or may present immediate or delayed risks for one or more sectors of the environment
What to check when assessing this property
Use the official definition, composition data and waste-process knowledge together. These points are meant to help frame the assessment, not replace WM3.
- Identify H400, H410, H411, H412, H413 and H420 substances and apply the correct WM3 summation rules.
- Use the right cut-offs and weighting factors because small errors can materially change the outcome.
- Do not assume a waste is non-hazardous just because handler exposure is limited, because HP14 is about environmental impact.
Supporting points
Additional points shown where the official definition or WM3 guidance breaks the hazard into categories or clarifications.
- H420 ozone-depleting substances trigger HP14 at an individual concentration of 0.1% or more.
- H400 substances trigger HP14 when the summed concentration reaches 25%, using a 0.1% cut-off.
- For aquatic chronic hazards, WM3 applies the weighted equation 100 × H410 + 10 × H411 + H412 ≥ 25%, with a 0.1% cut-off for H410 and a 1% cut-off for H411 and H412.
- HP14 can also apply where the total of H410, H411, H412 and H413 substances reaches 25%, using a 0.1% cut-off for H410 and a 1% cut-off for H411, H412 and H413.
How to use this page
Hazardous properties explain why a waste may be hazardous. They sit alongside EWC classification and they do not replace formal WM3 assessment or site acceptance checks.
1. Start with the waste
Identify the likely EWC entry, the process that produced the waste and whether it is part of a mirror-entry assessment.
2. Check the hazard evidence
Use composition data, SDSs, testing, pH, flash point and process knowledge as relevant to the property in question.
3. Confirm the final outcome
Confirm the conclusion against WM3 and any permit-specific or site-specific acceptance requirements before relying on it.
Wording is based on Annex III of the consolidated Waste Framework Directive opens in a new tab and should be used alongside Waste classification technical guidance (WM3, 3rd edition, 2021) — GOV.UK opens in a new tab.