Glossary:Reuse of waste

Reuse of waste means any operation by which products or components that are not waste are used again for the same purpose for which they were conceived.

The differentiation between the terms reuse, recycling and recovery is important for the understanding and application of the targets stated in EU waste legislation.

Definitions for recycling and reuse in waste specific Directives partially deviate from the corresponding definitions of the Waste Framework Directive:

1. The term recycling specified in waste specific Directives does in particular not include backfilling operations.
2. Reuse as defined in the Packaging Directive 94/62/EC and the WEEE Directive 19/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) comprises specifications the Waste Framework Directive does not include.

Further information

• Eurostat’s European Data Centre on Waste

• Waste Framework Directive:

• Directive 2008/98/EC of 19 November 2008 on waste, Article 3 (17)

• Waste specific Directives:

• Batteries: Directive 2006/66/EC
  
• End-of life vehicles: Directive 2000/53/EC
  
• Packaging and packaging waste: Directive 94/62/EC
  
• Waste electrical and electronic equipment: Directive 19/2012

Related concepts

• Incineration
• Landfill
• Recovery of waste
• Recycling of waste
• Waste (including disposal of waste)

Statistical data

• Waste statistics