Waste traceability

Waste traceability is the documented, recorded tracking of every waste stream from the moment it is generated in an economic or domestic activity until it is treated or recovered in an authorised facility. In practice it involves:

• Identifying the waste (LER/EWC code, quantity and hazard characteristics where relevant).
• Registering the initial producer and the authorised carriers.
• Documenting the transfer (treatment contracts, prior notifications, identification documents).
• Certifying the final treatment (recycling, recovery or disposal).

Regulatory framework

Waste traceability in Spain rests on a layered set of legislation:

• Directive 2008/98/EC on waste (the Waste Framework Directive).
• Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 on shipments of waste.
• Law 7/2022 on waste and contaminated soil for a circular economy.
• Royal Decree 553/2020, which regulates the movement of waste within Spanish territory.
• Order TED/1026/2022, which sets out how the eSIR electronic waste system operates.

Each autonomous community may run its own traceability system, integrated with the national one.

Objectives of waste traceability

1. Prevent illegal dumping and fraudulent transfers.
2. Ensure waste reaches authorised operators.
3. Make oversight easier for environmental authorities.
4. Meet EU commitments on the circular economy.
5. Provide legal certainty to producers and waste managers.

Traceability systems in Spain

1. eSIR (Waste Information System)

• National platform, mandatory since 2021.
• Manages treatment contracts, transfer notifications and identification documents.
• Connects authorities, producers and waste managers.

2. Regional platforms

Some communities have developed their own systems, integrated with eSIR, such as SIREM (Catalonia), the Ihobe systems (Basque Country) and SIRGa (Galicia).

3. Private and sector-specific tools

• Platforms run by environmental consultancies.
• Digital traceability systems applied to industrial and clinical waste, increasingly using digital and blockchain-based tracking.

Step-by-step traceability procedure

1. Waste identification: LER/EWC code, quantity in tonnes, physical state (solid, liquid, sludge) and hazard classification (under Regulation 1357/2014).
2. Treatment contract: mandatory between the producer and the authorised manager.
3. Identification document: accompanies the waste throughout transport.
4. Waste transfer: recorded in eSIR, with prior notification for hazardous waste.
5. Reception at the destination plant: the authorised manager confirms entry and treatment.
6. Final certification: the fate of the waste (recycling, recovery or disposal) is reported.

Examples in key sectors

Chemical industry

A producer of used solvents must identify the waste with LER code 14 06 03*, contract an authorised manager, register the transfer in eSIR and obtain the certificate of regeneration or energy recovery.

Healthcare

Hospitals generate infectious clinical waste that requires strict traceability: labelled bags, specialised carriers and mandatory incineration at authorised facilities.

Construction

In demolition works, construction and demolition waste is sorted at source into inert fractions (concrete, bricks) and hazardous fractions (asbestos). Each stream must be documented up to its recycling plant or controlled landfill.

Benefits of waste traceability

For companies

• Legal certainty and fewer penalties.
• Better environmental reputation and alignment with ISO 14001 standards.
• Cost optimisation thanks to accurate data on waste generation.

For public authorities

• Greater control over movements of hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
• Prevention of environmental crime.
• Reliable statistics for public policy planning.

For society

• Lower environmental and health risks.
• Transparency about the destination of sensitive waste such as hazardous or radioactive waste.

Technologies applied to traceability

1. Integrated digital platforms (eSIR, private blockchain).
2. QR-code labelling for real-time tracking.
3. Truck geolocation during transport.
4. IoT sensors in containers to monitor fill levels and movements.
5. Blockchain for immutable, shared traceability across international value chains.

Traceability and the circular economy

Traceability is a key instrument for the circular economy, because it guarantees that materials are genuinely recycled or recovered rather than ending up in illegal landfills. It also supports industrial symbiosis, building trust in the exchange of waste used as by-products in other sectors.

At Manglai we help companies measure their environmental impact and prepare their sustainability reporting, turning waste and emissions data into reliable insight. Discover how Manglai can help you.