Industrial waste

Industrial waste is the residue generated by the productive activities of the secondary and tertiary sectors, that is, by manufacturing, extractive, chemical, energy, construction and service industries. It accounts for a significant share of the total waste produced in Spain and the European Union, both in volume and in management complexity, and is treated separately from ordinary municipal waste.

Managing it properly matters for environmental, economic and compliance reasons alike. A large part of this waste can be recovered as a secondary raw material or as an energy resource, feeding the circular economy instead of ending up in landfill.

Definition of industrial waste

Spain's Law 7/2022 on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy defines industrial waste as material generated in production and transformation processes that is not comparable to municipal waste. The category covers both hazardous and non-hazardous waste in solid, liquid or gaseous form, all of which must be handled according to safety and sustainability criteria.

Types of industrial waste

Industrial waste can be classified by its hazardousness, its physical state or its sector of origin.

By hazardousness

• Hazardous waste: contains flammable, toxic, corrosive, mutagenic or ecotoxic substances. Examples: solvents, used oils, contaminated sludge.
• Non-hazardous waste: shows no harmful characteristics. Examples: wood, plastics, clean metals.

By physical state

• Solid: scrap metal, wood, packaging.
• Liquid: industrial oils, contaminated water.
• Gaseous: process emissions, although these are regulated under separate air-quality rules.

By sector of origin

• Automotive: filters, batteries, paints.
• Chemical: expired reagents, contaminated containers.
• Agri-food: sludge, organic by-products.
• Construction: demolition and building waste.

Legal framework

The management of industrial waste is governed by European, national and regional rules:

• The EU Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC, the backbone of EU waste policy.
• Regulation (EU) No 1357/2014, which sets out the properties that make waste hazardous.
• Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 on shipments of waste, now complemented by the recast Regulation (EU) 2024/1157.
• Spain's Law 7/2022 on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy.
• Royal Decree 553/2020 on the transport of waste within Spanish territory.
• Regional industrial waste management plans.

Obligations for industrial companies

Industries that generate waste must meet specific requirements:

1. Register in the Waste Production and Management Register.
2. Use authorised waste managers.
3. Store waste temporarily in safe conditions (approved, labelled containers).
4. Avoid mixing hazardous with non-hazardous waste.
5. Document transfers through the electronic waste tracking system (eSIR).
6. File the annual waste declaration.

Management and treatment systems

Treatment follows the waste hierarchy, prioritising prevention over disposal:

Prevention and minimisation

Optimising production processes to reduce the amount of waste generated at source.

Material recovery

• Recycling of metals, plastics and wood.
• Use of slags and ashes in construction materials.

Energy recovery

Energy recovery and co-incineration of waste in cement kilns and energy plants.

Disposal

Controlled landfill for non-hazardous waste, and incineration of hazardous waste that cannot be recovered.

Benefits of efficient management

• Environmental: fewer discharges and less contamination of water and soil.
• Economic: savings on raw materials and revenue from the sale of recovered materials.
• Social: creation of green jobs and improved corporate reputation.

Risks and bad practices

• Illegal dumping of hazardous waste.
• Improper mixing of incompatible fractions.
• Lack of traceability in transfers.
• Penalties of up to 3.5 million euros for very serious infringements under Law 7/2022.

Conclusion

Industrial waste is one of the biggest challenges and, at the same time, one of the biggest opportunities in the sustainable management of materials. Sound management based on prevention, recovery and traceability is essential to reduce environmental impact and meet European targets. Turning industrial waste into a resource is a strategic lever for competitiveness, innovation and sustainability.

At Manglai we help companies measure their carbon footprint and prepare their sustainability reporting, including the environmental impact of their waste streams. Discover how Manglai can help you.