# 17 05 04 EWC code Excavated soil and stones, once an assessment shows they aren’t hazardous.

> 17 05 04 EWC code: soil and stones, only once an assessment shows they aren’t hazardous; otherwise 17 05 03*. What WAC tests and asbestos change.
> Web page: https://complyonsite.com/tools/ewc-code-finder?code=17-05-04

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- Based on the UK List of Waste, WM3 and GOV.UK guidance
- Nothing is stored

## Is 17 05 04 hazardous?

No. It’s the non-hazardous half of a pair with 17 05 03*. GOV.UK says you must be able to prove soil holds no hazardous substances to class it as non-hazardous, and you must always assess it before it goes to someone else. If what’s in it genuinely can’t be found out, it’s 17 05 03*.

## Can WAC results show soil is 17 05 04?

No. Waste acceptance criteria (WAC) tests tell a landfill whether it can take the soil. GOV.UK says you must not use WAC results to classify waste. Deciding between 17 05 04 and 17 05 03* needs its own assessment of what’s in the soil.

## What if the soil has asbestos in it?

- **Pieces**: Any fragment of asbestos-containing material makes the soil a mixed hazardous waste: 17 06 05* for the pieces, and a code for the soil.
- **Loose fibres**: Fibres spread through the soil make it hazardous if the soil as a whole holds 0.1% asbestos or more, so it’s 17 05 03*.

[Asbestos EWC codes](https://complyonsite.com/tools/ewc-code-finder?waste=asbestos)

### Sources

- [Construction and demolition waste: how to classify (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/construction-and-demolition-waste-how-to-classify)
- [Classify different types of waste: your legal responsibilities (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/classify-different-types-of-waste-your-legal-responsibilities)
- [WM3 waste classification guidance (Environment Agency, NRW, SEPA)](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6152d0b78fa8f5610b9c222b/Waste_classification_technical_guidance_WM3.pdf)
- [List of Waste (legislation.gov.uk)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2000/532/annex)

The codes apply across the UK. The GOV.UK guides are for England.