kSIST FprEN 16403:2014
(Main)Waste management - Waste visual elements
Waste management - Waste visual elements
This European Standard specifies a way to identify the various fractions of municipal waste by a set of visual elements, including colors, symbols, text, etc.
This standard is intended to create a unique operative model to easily identify the waste from visual elements thereby facilitating collection and recycling services for both consumers and collectors.
Abfallwirtschaft - Bildelemente für Abfallfraktionen
Diese Europäische Norm legt eine Möglichkeit fest, die verschiedenen Fraktionen kommunalen Abfalls durch eine Reihe von Bildelementen, einschließlich Farben, Symbolen und Text, zu erkennen.
Diese Norm ist dazu vorgesehen, ein eindeutiges Betriebsmodell zu schaffen, um den Abfall leicht durch Bildelemente erkennen zu können, und dadurch die Abfallsammlung und Recycling/Wiederverwertung sowohl für den Verbraucher als auch für Entsorgungsunternehmen zu erleichtern.
Gestion des déchets - Éléments visuels
La présente Norme européenne spécifie un moyen pour identifier les diverses fractions des déchets urbains
au moyen d'un ensemble d'éléments visuels, comprenant des couleurs, des symboles, du texte.
La présente Norme européenne est destinée à créer un modèle opératif unique permettant d'identifier
aisément les déchets au moyen d'éléments visuels et donc de faciliter les services de collecte et de
recyclage/récupération pour les consommateurs comme pour les entreprises de gestion des déchets.
Ravnanje z odpadki - Vidni elementi za označevanje vrste odpadkov
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 16403:2012
01-junij-2012
5DYQDQMH]RGSDGNL9LGQLHOHPHQWL]DR]QDþHYDQMHYUVWHRGSDGNRY
Waste management - Waste visual elements
Abfallwirtschaft - Bildelemente für Abfallfraktionen
Gestion des déchets - Éléments visuels
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 16403
ICS:
01.070 Barvno kodiranje Colour coding
01.080.99 'UXJLJUDILþQLVLPEROL Other graphical symbols
13.030.01 Odpadki na splošno Wastes in general
oSIST prEN 16403:2012 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
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oSIST prEN 16403:2012
EUROPEAN STANDARD
DRAFT
prEN 16403
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
March 2012
ICS 01.070; 01.080.99; 13.030.01
English Version
Waste management - Waste visual elements
Abfallwirtschaft - Bildelemente für Abfallfraktionen
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 183.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which
stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language
made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are aware and to
provide supporting documentation.
Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without notice and
shall not be referred to as a European Standard.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2012 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 16403:2012: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
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Contents Page
Foreword .3
Introduction .4
1 Scope .5
2 Normative references .5
3 Terms and definitions .5
4 Principles .8
5 The Waste Visual Elements .9
5.1 Colours .9
5.1.1 Contrasting Colours .9
5.1.2 Auxiliary colours for hazardous waste and for toxic and harmful waste . 10
5.1.3 Waste-colours . 10
5.1.4 Waste-colours based on prevalent waste-material . 11
5.1.5 Multi-waste-material . 12
5.1.6 Secondary waste-colours . 12
5.2 QR-Code . 13
5.3 Waste-logograms . 15
5.4 Text for WVE-panel . 21
5.5 Waste-Braille-Plate . 21
5.6 WVE-panel . 22
5.7 Waste-frames . 23
5.8 Visual elements for “hazardous” and “toxic and harmful” waste . 25
5.9 Coloured-parts of waste container . 26
6 Requirements . 27
6.1 General requirements . 27
6.2 WVE-panel requirements . 27
Annex A (informative) Communication Campaign . 28
A.1 Rationale for the standardization of Waste Visual Elements that characterize the
municipal waste fractions for separate collection. . 28
A.2 Typical identification elements . 28
A.2.1 Languages . 28
A.2.2 Colours . 28
A.2.3 Images . 28
A.2.4 Pictograms . 28
A.3 Typical problematic situations . 29
A.3.1 Multi-material . 29
A.3.2 Sub-divisions . 29
A.3.3 Danger . 29
Annex B (informative) Suggested positions for WVE-panel . 30
Annex C (informative) Suggested positions for Waste-Braille-Plate . 31
Annex D (informative) Suggestion for the existing waste containers conversion . 33
Annex E (informative) Examples for QR-Code additional contents . 34
Annex F (informative) Examples of WVE-panels . 35
Bibliography . 37
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Foreword
This document (prEN 16403:2012) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 183 “Waste
management”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
The Annexes A, B, C, D, E and F are Informative.
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Introduction
This standard is aimed to facilitate and make unambiguous the identification of different waste typologies: the
value of each material is strictly linked to its purity, so it is necessary to avoid any wrong waste conferring.
To this purpose the present standard defines a unique colour and visual identification elements in all the
countries that are CEN members for the main materials subject to separate collection.
Consequently, object of this standard is managing in a tidy and homogeneous way – in terms of quantity and
quality – the majority of the municipal waste separately collected. The point is that not all the materials subject
to separate collection are taken in consideration in detail (for instance wood, batteries, etc.), because for the
first important standardization phase in Europe it would be better to take in consideration the main waste
typologies collected in the streets by means of waste containers; the collection of those materials concerns
not only the citizens living in a particular city, but also people travelling for different reasons. They should be
able to find the same waste visual element in any city.
This document defines various different visual elements defining in different ways a specific waste-material:
each person will detect one element better than another element depending on age, eyesight, culture,
behaviour.
This standard refers to all the waste containers defined in the EN standards and it is suggested also for all
kinds of bins for waste collection. The colours and all the others waste visual elements should be used in any
activity: explanatory, advertising and communication for the users and operators.
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1 Scope
This European Standard specifies a way to identify the various fractions of municipal waste by a set of visual
elements, including colours, symbols, text.
This standard is intended to create a unique operative model to easily identify the waste from visual elements
thereby facilitating collection and recycling/recovery services for both consumers and management
companies.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 840-1, Mobile Waste Containers – Part 1: Containers with 2 wheels with a capacity from 80 l to 390 l for
comb lifting devices – Dimensions and design
EN 840-2, Mobile Waste Containers – Part 2: Containers with 4 wheels with a capacity up to 1 300 l with flat
lid(s), for trunnion and/or comb lifting devices – Dimensions and design
EN 840-3, Mobile Waste Containers – Part 3: Containers with 4 wheels with a capacity up to 1 300 l with
dome lid(s), for trunnion and/or comb lifting devices – Dimensions and design
EN 840-4, Mobile Waste Containers – Part 4: Containers with 4 wheels with a capacity up to 1 700 l with flat
lid(s), for wide trunnion or BG-and/or wide comb lifting devices – Dimensions and design
EN 840-5, Mobile Waste Containers – Part 5: Performance requirements and test methods
EN 840-6, Mobile Waste Containers – Part 6: Safety and health requirements
EN 12574-1, Stationary Waste Containers – Part 1: Containers with a capacity up to 10 000 l with flat or dome
lid(s), for trunnion, double trunnion or pocket lifting device – Dimensions and design
EN 12574-2, Stationary Waste Containers – Part 2: Performance requirements and test methods
EN 12574-3, Stationary Waste Containers – Part 3: Safety and health requirements
EN 13071-1, Stationary waste containers up to 5 000 l, top lifted and bottom emptied – Part 1: General
requirements
EN 13071-2, Stationary waste containers up to 5 000 l, top lifted and bottom emptied – Part 2: Additional
requirements for underground or partly underground systems
EN ISO 14021, Environmental labels and declarations – Self-declared environmental claims
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this European Standard, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
stationary waste container
appropriately designed containers with a capacity up to 10 000 litres with flat or dome lid(s), for trunnion,
double trunnion or pocket lifting device, without wheels or fitted with them, for positioning empty containers
only, to temporarily store waste, according to EN 12574
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3.2
mobile waste container
appropriately designed mobile waste containers with 2 wheels with a capacity up to 400 litres for comb lifting
devices and Mobile waste containers with 4 wheels with a capacity up to 1 300 litres with flat lid(s), for
trunnion and/or comb lifting devices, according to EN 840
3.3
stationary waste containers top lifted and bottom emptied
appropriately designed stationary waste containers up to 5.000 litres, top lifted and bottom emptied, according
to EN 13071-1
EXAMPLE Waste Bank, Igloo
3.4
underground or partly underground system
system whose emptying device is located below surrounding ground level at any point, with an appropriately
designed container to collect/receive the waste totally or partially under the level of the ground, according to
EN 13071
3.5
separate collection
collection of different kinds of waste segregated at source
3.6
waste visual element
WVE
set of typical graphic elements with shapes, colours and contents predefined, that consent unambiguous
identification of a waste-stream
3.7
waste-fraction, noun
single type of waste products made in the same material
EXAMPLE PET bottles, aluminium cans, steel drums, jar glass
3.8
waste-material, noun
single waste-material including one or more different waste-fractions
EXAMPLE different plastics for shapes, manufacturing and polymers but all made in plastic
3.9
prevalent waste-material
waste-material that occupies the major volume inside a waste container in case of joint collection of two or
more waste-materials
3.10
waste-stream, noun
different waste-materials and/or different waste-fractions collected in the same waste container
3.11
waste-colour, noun
colour in the Classic System of RAL that indicates a waste-material (or the prevalent waste-material) or waste-
stream
3.12
WVE-panel or waste-panel, noun
stiff or flexible support to be fixed on the waste container with the waste visual elements on it
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3.13
waste-frame, noun
typical graphic element constituted by a continuous closed line with the form of a rectangle with round angles
to delimitate the different areas in a WVE-panel
3.14
waste-logogram, noun
typical graphic element constituted by a simple drawing(s) that characterizes in an unambiguous way a waste-
fraction or various waste-fractions or a waste-material
3.15
coloured part of waste container, noun
part(s) of a waste container coloured with the correct colour identifying the type of waste-material or of waste-
stream (see Figure 1 and Figure 2)
Key
Collection including glass, plastics, metals, paper Î collection of four waste-materials Î multi-waste-material
Î waste-colour MAGENTA
Figure 1 — Example A of waste-stream
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Key
Collection including plastics and metals Î plastics is a waste-material including various waste-fractions of
plastics for instance PET and PE; and metals is a waste-material including various waste-fractions as
aluminium and tin plate, steel Î prevalent waste-material is plastic Î waste-colour YELLOW
Figure 2 — Example B of Waste-stream
3.16
QR-Code
QR-Code is a matrix barcode (or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode - Matrix_.282D.29_barcodestwo-
dimensional code),http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine-readable_medium readable by QR scanners, mobile
phones with a camera, and smart-phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern
on white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data. In one cryptogram there are
7 089 numerical characters and 4 296 alphanumerical
3.17
management company
company responsible for the selective collection of municipal waste in the streets
4 Principles
This standard identifies four compulsory visual elements: colours, QR-code, logograms, texts, which shall be
indicated on a panel called "waste-panel". Such panel shall be clearly visible on each container for the
separate collection of waste and can take the desired size provided that it respects the proportions given in
this standard.
The lower part of the waste-panel is a "free area", that means it is at somebody’s disposal as, for example, for
the logos of the city, the service company, the public utility, slogans and images.
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This standard uses thirteen colours accurately identified by RAL and also indicated in Pantone scale, in order
to facilitate the graphic designers’ activity, as follows:
Two "Contrasting colours": Black and White for optimum contrast between background and signs on the
waste-panel;
Two "Auxiliary colours": Red and Orange, respectively, for Hazardous waste and Toxic and Harmful
waste to allow the immediate danger perception to children and to the visually impaired;
Nine "Waste-colours": six are for specific materials (Blue for paper, Turquoise for metals, Green for glass,
Yellow for plastic, Brown for bio waste, Bordeaux for WEEE), Grey is for mixed waste, Magenta is for
multi-material and Beige is for all the others materials separately collected.
The colours are called with only one single word "One Word Colour" (without adjectives).
This standard is based on the following concepts:
The concept of "prevalent material" allows to easily understand and to pick which colour shall be used in
case of collection of two or more materials; that is in case that one material has a prevalent volumetric
quantity compared to the other materials;
The concept of "secondary waste-colour" is useful to divide the materials into subsets, such as green,
brown and white glass;
The concept of "coloured-parts" allows the appropriate design of new containers and, at the same time,
allows to reuse the existing containers. Each container can be completely realized in the colour of the
corresponding waste or it can have coloured parts (for example, the cover or the frames around the
openings). The coloured-parts shall always allow for the immediate understanding of all-aged and all-
language persons.
5 The Waste Visual Elements
5.1 Colours
The waste-colours shall be used respecting the following Tables.
The waste-colours are indicated according to the Classic System RAL scale.
It is also indicated, as a suggestion, the Pantone colour a lot alike RAL in order to facilitate graphic realization.
The colours are indicated in detail for production of waste-panels and for the coloured-parts of a waste
container.
In the following Tables 1 to 6 it is indicated in the first column a “One Word Colour” for an easy indication of
the type of waste-material.
5.1.1 Contrasting Colours
The Contrasting Colours shall be used to realize the waste-panels and only for specific purposes (see Table
1).
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Table 1 — Contrasting Colours
One Main reference:
Secondary
Secondary
Word RAL code reference: Main Application
Application
Pantone colour
Colour RAL name
RAL 9003
waste-
waste-panel
White Pantone White fraction:
background
Signal White White Glass
RAL 9017 waste-frame, text for
Black Pantone Black waste-panel, waste- ///
Traffic Black logogram
5.1.2 Auxiliary colours for hazardous waste and for toxic and harmful waste
The specific colours for hazardous waste and for toxic and harmful waste that shall be used are indicated in
the following Table 2.
Table 2 —Auxiliary colours for Hazardous waste and for Toxic and Harmful waste
One Main reference: Secondary
Secondary
Word RAL code reference: Main Application
Application
Colour RAL name Pantone colour
RAL 3020 Danger signals for
Red Pantone 032 C ///
Traffic Red hazardous waste
Danger signals for
RAL 2008
toxic
Orange Pantone 1585 C ///
Bright Red Orange
and harmful waste
5.1.3 Waste-colours
The waste-colours are the colours that characterize a single waste-material or a waste-stream (group of
various waste-materials).
The waste-colours that shall be used are indicated in the following Table 3.
Table 3 — Waste-colours
Secondary
Waste-colours Main Application
Application
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Main reference:
Secondary
One Word waste-material waste-
RAL code reference:
Colour or waste-stream fraction
Pantone colour
RAL name
RAL 7024
Grey Pantone 432 C Mixed waste \\\
Graphite Grey
RAL 5005
Blue Pantone 2945 C Paper \\\
Signal Blue
RAL 6034
Turquoise Pantone 563 C Metals \\\
Pastel Turquoise
RAL 6005
waste-fraction:
Green Pantone 357 C Glass
Green glass
Moss Green
RAL 1018
Yellow Pantone 74504 C Plastic \\\
Zinc Yellow
RAL 8028
waste-fraction:
Brown Pantone 4695 C Bio waste
Brown glass
Terra Brown
RAL 4004
Bordeaux Pantone 505 C WEEE \\\
Claret Violet
Any other waste-
material/waste-
RAL 1001
fraction (excl.
Beige Pantone 4685 C \\\
hazardous, toxic
Beige
and harmful
waste)
RAL 4010
Pantone Proc- Multi-waste-
Magenta \\\
Magenta C material
Telemagenta
5.1.4 Waste-colours based on prevalent waste-material
For the coloured parts of the waste container and for the WVE-panel shall be used the waste-colour of the
prevalent waste-material (see Table 4).
In case of collection of two or more different waste-materials collected in same waste container, the WVE-
panel shall indicate also the waste-colours of the other waste-materials.
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The various waste-colours shall be indicated in a circle (together with the respective waste-material names) in
the upper left part of the WVE-panel in progressive order respecting the decreasing volume of the various
waste-materials.
Table 4 — Waste-colours based on prevalent waste-material
Examples Colours on the WVE-panel
Waste- Waste- Other colours
One Prevalent
colours stream First and secondary (to be indicated in
Word material
RAL (main application small upper circles in
Colour Colour
code application) WVE-panel)
RAL 5005
Paper,
Blue Signal Paper
Cardboard
blue
RAL 1018 Light packaging:
Yellow Zinc Plastic Plastic,
yellow Aluminium
RAL 6005
Glass,
Green Moss Glass
Aluminium
green
5.1.5 Multi-waste-material
In case of collection of various materials and if there is no prevalent material in the waste-stream, the colour
shall be magenta (see Table 5).
Table 5 — Multi-waste-material
Example Colours on the WVE-panel
Other colours
One Waste- First and
Waste- Material (to be indicated in small
Word colours secondary
stream colour upper circles in WVE-
Colour RAL code application
panel)
Paper,
RAL 4010 Multi-
Magent PET Plastic,
Telemagent waste-
a Metals (Aluminium
a material
and Steel)
5.1.6 Secondary waste-colours
In case of collection of particular waste-material (typically glass) collected in subsets (for instance divided per
colour, or per polymer in case of plastics) the sub-waste-material shall be indicated on the WVE-panel by
means of the corresponding secondary waste-colour used internally in the third waste-frame: in this case the
waste-logogram shall be "in negative" (see Table 6).
Table 6 — Secondary waste-colours
One Waste- Waste-stream
Secondary Second Secondary
Word colours (main
waste-colour RAL Application
Colour RAL code application)
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One Waste- Waste-stream
Secondary Second Secondary
Word colours (main
waste-colour RAL Application
Colour RAL code application)
RAL 6005 RAL 6005
Green Glass Green glass
Moss green Moss green
RAL 6005 RAL 9003
Green Glass White glass
Moss green Signal white
RAL 6005 RAL 8028
Green Glass Brown glass
Moss green Terra brown
5.2 QR-Code
QR-Code includes information available by means of a reader (for instance a smart phone). The main
information is the referring code of this Standard.
The compulsory contents shall be indicated in the local language and in a second language, the most spoken
in the area besides the official one; in case there is no second spoken language the contents shall be in
English. The QR-Code shall be indicated in the right upper part of the WVE-panel (see Figure 3). See Table 7.
EXAMPLE European Norm Waste Visual Elements September 28 2010
Figure 3 — QR-Code
The following information shall be introduced:
waste-stream;
waste-material;
waste-fractions;
waste-colour;
reference to this European standard.
Table 7 — QR-Code compulsory information
QR-Code content
QR-
Colour Main Application (to be adapted in combination with the correct
Code
waste-material and waste-stream)
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QR-Code content
QR-
Colour Main Application (to be adapted in combination with the correct
Code
waste-material and waste-stream)
Mixed Waste collection.
Grey Mixed waste Colour Grey.
Waste Visual Elements according to EN.
Paper collection.
Colour Blue.
Blue Paper
Waste Visual Elements according to the
European Standard EN.
Aluminium and Steel collection.
Colour Turquoise.
Turquoise Metals
Waste Visual Elements according to the
European Standard EN.
Glass collection.
Colour Green.
Green Glass
Waste Visual Elements according to the
European Standard EN.
Plastic collection.
Colour Yellow.
Yellow Plastic
Waste Visual Elements according to the
European Standard EN.
Organic collection.
Colour Brown.
Brown Bio waste
Waste Visual Elements according to the
European Standard EN.
WEEE Collection.
Colour Bordeaux.
Bordeaux WEEE
Waste Visual Elements according to the
European Standard EN.
Separate Collection of .
Any other mono- Colour Beige.
Beige
material Waste Visual Elements according to the
European Standard EN.
Multi-waste-material collection .
Colour Magenta.
Magenta Multi-waste-material
Waste Visual Elements according to the
European Standard EN.
The QR-Code could include also other information:
requirements for the admitted waste-fractions and waste-materials;
list of material not admitted;
environmental information;
communication campaign.
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5.3 Waste-logograms
The waste-logogram is a graphic element constituted by a simple drawing that indicates in an unambiguous
way a waste-fraction. The waste-logogram shall be indicated in RAL 9017 "Traffic Black" internally at the third
waste-frame (see Figure 4 and Table 8).
a) b) c) d)
Key
a) waste-fractions Logogram for paper such as magazines, books, etc. (see Table 8)
b) waste-fractions Logogram for plastic bottles (see Table 8)
c) waste-fractions Logogram for glass packaging (see Table 8)
d) waste-fractions Logogram for multi-waste-material: metal, glass, plastic, paper (see Table 8)
Figure 4 — Examples of waste-logograms
The waste-logogram is indicative and not exhaustive of the fraction of waste collected.
Table 8 — Waste-logograms
Waste-fractions
Waste-fractions
Waste-material Example
...
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