Class · NACE Rev. 2.1
38.21 Materials recovery
active
Includes
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
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
What changed from NACE Rev. 2
Per the official Eurostat correspondence table (NACE Rev. 2 → NACE Rev. 2.1):
| NACE Rev. 2 origin | Heading (Rev. 2) | Mapping | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38.21 | Treatment and disposal of non-hazardous waste | NACE Rev. 2 class 38.21 is mapped to NACE Rev. 2.1 classes 38.21, 38.22, 38.23, 38.31, 38.32, 38.33 | 5:7 |
| 38.31 | Dismantling of wrecks | NACE Rev. 2 class 38.31 is mapped to NACE Rev. 2.1 class 38.21 | 5:7 |
| 38.32 | Recovery of sorted materials | NACE Rev. 2 class 38.32 is mapped to NACE Rev. 2.1 classes 20.16, 38.21 | 5:7 |
Content moved from 38.21 includes:
- production of waste compost
- production of biogas from waste, not for the purpose of gas or energy supply
Content moved from 38.32 includes:
- mechanical crushing and shredding of metal waste, e.g. from used cars, washing machines or bikes
- 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
- 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 material
- processing (aging, 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 material
- 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
Related codes
Reference data
| Code | 38.21 |
|---|---|
| Level | Class |
| Parent | 38.2 |
| Classification | NACE Rev. 2.1 |
| Legal basis | Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/137 |
| Source | Eurostat (ShowVoc dissemination platform) |
| Data checked | 2026-07-20 |