Waste generation and treatment (env_wasgt)

National Reference Metadata in Single Integrated Metadata Structure (SIMS)

Compiling agency: National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) National Institute for Statistics (NIS)


Eurostat metadata
Reference metadata
1. Contact
2. Metadata update
3. Statistical presentation
4. Unit of measure
5. Reference Period
6. Institutional Mandate
7. Confidentiality
8. Release policy
9. Frequency of dissemination
10. Accessibility and clarity
11. Quality management
12. Relevance
13. Accuracy
14. Timeliness and punctuality
15. Coherence and comparability
16. Cost and Burden
17. Data revision
18. Statistical processing
19. Comment
Related Metadata
Annexes (including footnotes)



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1. Contact Top
1.1. Contact organisation

National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA)

National Institute for Statistics (NIS)
1.2. Contact organisation unit

NEPA - Directorate for Waste and Chemicals
1.5. Contact mail address

NEPA

Spl. Independentei 294, Sector 6, Bucharest, Romania.

NIS

Blv. Libertatii 16, Sector 5, Bucharest, Romania.


2. Metadata update Top
2.1. Metadata last certified

28 November 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted

28 November 2025
2.3. Metadata last update

28 November 2025


3. Statistical presentation Top
3.1. Data description

Please see below.
3.1.1. Description of the parties involved in the data collection

Table : Institutions involved in the collection of data and distribution of tasks.

Name of institution Description of key responsibilities
NEPA Survey on municipal and industrial waste generation and management

Administrative data on WEEE

Compilation of reported Data sets and of the Quality Report

Validation rules
NIS  Data for agricultural and medical waste according to the description below
3.1.2. Description of methods determining waste generation

Data set 1: waste generation by waste category (EWC-Stat) and economic activities (NACE).

General description of methodology

Waste category Source
A01-03 B04-09 C10-C12 C13-C15 _..._ F41-43 G-U excl. G4677
01.1

Data from NIS

Survey       		                             

Data from NEPA

Survey

               

Data from NEPA and NIS

  • Survey
  • Administrative sources
01.2
01.3
_..._
12.6
12.7
12.8, 13

 

The sources are the businesses (18 NACE groupings) and households which generate waste. The waste types are the 51 waste categories for which data is required under the Waste Statistics Regulation.
3.1.3. Estimation of waste generation in the economy on the basis of a sample survey

Determination of waste generation by (sample) survey.

Description of the sample survey Item 1

(NACE A)

 Item 2

(NACE B)

  Item 3

(NACE C)

  Item 3

(NACE D) 

 Item 4

(NACE E36-37-39)

  Item 5

(NACE E38)

 Item 6

(NACE F) 

 Item 7

(NACE 46.77) 

 Item 8

(NACE G-U excluded 46.77)

 Total     
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 Number of statistical units per stratum and item in accordance with the available register(s)                    
2 Number of statistical units selected for a sample survey and questionnaires sent out 1124 398 5787 316 446 1790 442 39 13109 23451
3 Number of non-respoinses (no replies provided; replies are unusable; units are not identifiable)                    
4 Part of 3: Quantity of data registered incorrectly (statistical units which do not exist, statistical units which cannot be identified)                    
5 Number of units (statistical units) used to calculate totals 1124 398 5787 316 446 1790 442 39 13109 23451
6 Factor for weighting                    
3.1.4. Estimation of waste generation in the economy on the basis of information on waste treatment
  Description of the method
1 Scope of indirect determination (waste types and economic sectors covered)  Not applicable
2 Number of waste treatment facilities selected by items: INC R1 INC D10 RECYC BACK DISPO I DISPO II
  Not applicable   Not applicable   Not applicable   Not applicable   Not applicable   Not applicable
3 Method(s) applied for differentiation by waste sources:   Not applicable
4 Restriction of the applied methods:   Not applicable
4.1 Waste streams not covered:   Not applicable
4.2 Problems of source attachment:   Not applicable
4.3 Other problems:   Not applicable

This table shows the proportion of waste generation covered by indirect calculation on the basis of waste treatment and how the method is applied.

Row 1 indicates what proportion of waste generation is covered by information concerning waste treatment. This can be done by referring to selected parts of the economy or to selected waste streams. This should be consistent with the table in the concept 3.1.2.

Row 2 identifies the number of waste treatment facilities included in the calculation. The numbers are expected to be equal to the number of facilities in the table in the concept 3.1.8 . Any differences should be explained.

Rows 3 to 4.3 provide a more detailed description of the methods applied. Does the original data set contain quantities of waste classified by the List of waste, by the European waste Classification for Statistics (EWC-Stat) or by a national classification? On what basis is waste which has been treated transformed into waste which has been generated? How are non-specific wastes distributed across sources and how are imported wastes excluded?
3.1.5. Description of the estimation of waste generation in the economy on the basis of administrative sources

Estimation of waste generation in the economy on the basis of models or other methods 

Description of the models
1 Scope of the model (waste types and economic sectors covered) Administrative data on WEEE
2 Basic data for the estimations (production figures etc.) NACE: E38, number of companies permitted for WEEE collection and treatment, on an annual basis,  also reported for WEEE Directive.
3 Description of the model and the factors applied   Not applicable
4 Routines applied or foreseen to guarantee sufficient quality (periodical revision of factors, focused surveys for verification etc.)   Not applicable
Description of the information sources
5 Scope for the OTHER information sources (waste types and economic sectors covered)   Not applicable
6 Description of the other information source which is not fitting to the type of information sources mentioned above   Not applicable

This table is similar to the table in the concept 3.1.4 in that it shows the proportion of waste generation covered by other methods and how these methods are applied. Within this table, a distinction is made between methods based on modelling and other methods.
3.1.6. Determination methods for waste generated by households
1 Indirect determination via waste collection
1.1 Description of reporting unit applied (waste collections, municipalities)   Not applicable
1.2 Description of the reporting system (regular survey on waste collection, utilisation of administrative sources)   Not applicable
1.3 Waste types covered   Not applicable
1.4 Survey characteristics (1.4a – 1.4d)   Not applicable
  a)      Total no. of collectors / municipalities (population size)   Not applicable
b)      No of collectors / municipalities selected for survey   Not applicable
c)       No of responses used for the calculation of the totals   Not applicable
d)      Factor for weighting   Not applicable
1.5 Method applied for the differentiation between the sources household and commercial activities   Not applicable
1.6 Percentage of waste from commercial activities by waste types   Not applicable
2 Indirect determination via waste treatment
2.1 Specification of waste treatment facilities selected   Not applicable
2.2 Waste types covered   Not applicable
2.3 Method applied for the differentiation between the sources household and commercial activities   Not applicable
2.4 Percentage of waste from commercial activities by waste types   Not applicable

This table focuses on the methods applied in order to estimate the amount of waste generated by households. The various methods are identified in different parts of the table. An important distinction is made between waste generated by households, on the one hand, and waste generated by businesses, i.e. ‘commercial contamination’, on the other.
3.1.7. Description of data sources and methods by treatment category

Determination of treated waste quantities 

Item 1
Incineration (R1)		 Reported by companies permitted for waste co-incineration, validated based on the reports from waste generation. It includes also the data from agriculture, forestry and fisheries and medical waste (human and veterinary).
Item 2
Incineration (D10)		 Reported by companies permitted for waste incineration, validated based on the reports from waste generation.
Item 3a
Recycling (R2 – R11)		 Reported by companies permitted for waste recycling, validated based on the reports from waste generation. It includes also the data from agriculture, forestry and fisheries and medical waste (human and veterinary).
Item 3b
Backfilling		 Reported by companies that generates and send waste for backfilling purposes.
Item 4
Landfilling (D1, D5, D12)		 Reported by companies permitted for waste landfilling, validated based on the reports from waste generation. It includes also the data from agriculture, forestry and fisheries and medical waste (human and veterinary).
Item 5
Other disposal (D2,D3,D4, D6,D7)		 Facilities for impoundment of waste.
3.1.8. Coverage of waste treatment facilities and criteria for exclusion
  No of facilities included No of facilities excluded Reasons for exclusion of facilities and other comments
Item 1
Incineration (R1)		  265  0  Not the case
Item 2
Incineration (D10)		  22  0  Not the case
Item 3a
Recycling (R2 – R11)		  423  0  Not the case
Item 3b
Backfilling		  86  0  Not the case
Item 4
Landfilling (D1, D5, D12)		  96  0  Not the case
Item 5
Other disposal (D2,D3,D4, D6,D7)		  2  0 Not the case

This table identifies the number of waste treatment facilities, which are included in or excluded from the compilation of data. There can be several reasons for excluding waste treatment operations: because they treat only internal waste, because they are pre-treatment facilities or because the capacity is below a nationally defined threshold, etc.
3.1.9. Registers used for identification of treatment operations
Identification of register(s) used (name; responsible institution) Description of register(s) (coverage: frequency and procedure of updating, etc.)
Relevant treatment facilities are identified by EPAs, because all these facilities are supposed to obtain the environmental permit and EPAs issue this permit.

For the industrial waste generation the accuracy is also good due to the annual survey performed by NEPA through EIS (Electronic Information System) directly from the economical operators.

This table gives details of the registers used to gather information on waste treatment. 
3.2. Classification system

Please see below.
3.2.1. Description of classification used
  Name of classifications used Description of the classification(s)
Economic activities NACE Rev. 2, Order no 337/2007 of NIS regarding update of NACE  Similar to Regulation 1893/2006
Waste types

Decision 2000/532 modified by Decision 2014/955

 Transposition to classification of Waste Statistics Regulation according to Regulation 2150/2002, as modified and completed
Recovery and treatment operations OUG 92/2021 on waste regime, as modified and completed Represents transposition into national legislation of Directive 2008/98 on waste
3.3. Coverage - sector

All waste types and all NACE activities + households.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions

According to European and national legislation, manuals and guidelines on waste statistics.
3.5. Statistical unit

The statistical unit used for the exhaustive survey is the company (enterprise).
3.6. Statistical population

As described at point 3.1.2.
3.7. Reference area

National - Romania.
3.8. Coverage - Time

Year 2022.
3.9. Base period

Not applicable.


4. Unit of measure Top

Tonnes.


5. Reference Period Top

2022.


6. Institutional Mandate Top
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing

There are a few collaboration protocols with various institutions concerning different aggregation levels of data.


7. Confidentiality Top
7.1. Confidentiality - policy

According to European and national legislation.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment

 Not applicable


8. Release policy Top
8.1. Release calendar

Results of data are published by the end of August (t +20).
8.2. Release calendar access

 Not applicable
8.3. Release policy - user access

Free online-access for standard tables for all users.


9. Frequency of dissemination Top

Annually.


10. Accessibility and clarity Top
10.1. Dissemination format - News release

 Not applicable
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications

Publications on NEPA's website:

  • Waste statistics;
  • Annual Report on the State of Environment in Romania;
  • Information on waste generation and management.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database

 Not applicable
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations

 Not applicable
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access

 Not applicable
10.5. Dissemination format - other

At request, keeping data confidentiality.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations

Not available.
10.6. Documentation on methodology

A short description of the methodology based on EUROSTAT guidelines is available in every paper and electronic publication. Legislation and questionnaires available on NEPA's website.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate

 Not applicable
10.7. Quality management - documentation

 Not applicable


11. Quality management Top
11.1. Quality assurance

According to work procedures, validation rules, expert judgement.
11.2. Quality management - assessment

According to work procedures, validation rules, expert judgement.


12. Relevance Top
12.1. Relevance - User Needs

Basic data and information that are processed in order to prepare Data set 1 – 3 represent the official information on waste generation and management in Romania. This information is processed in different ways, keeping data confidentiality, in order to provide information to all types of users.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction

 Not applicable
12.3. Completeness

Data sets are complete and no “M” flags have been used.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate

 Not applicable
12.3.2. Description of missing data in the waste generation dataset
Description of missing data in data set 1 on waste generation
(waste category, economic activity, ..)		 Explanation How to overcome the deficit
 There are no missing data.    
12.3.3. Description of missing data in datasets on treated waste and quantities and capacities of facilities

There are no missing data.


13. Accuracy Top
13.1. Accuracy - overall

The overall accuracy varies between waste generation and treatment. Typically, the accuracy is good for waste treatment; relevant treatment facilities are identified by EPAs, because all these facilities are supposed to obtain the environmental permit and EPAs issue this permit.

For the industrial waste generation the accuracy is also good due to the annual survey performed by NEPA through EIS (Electronic Information System) directly from the economical operators.

However, there is some lower quality accuracy for the estimated data regarding the following NACE: A (agricultural waste), G-U (excl. 4677) for medical waste.
13.2. Sampling error

 Not applicable
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators

See the table Total and coefficients of variation for the key aggregates in the annex.
13.3. Non-sampling error

 Not applicable
13.3.1. Coverage error

 Not applicable
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate

Not available.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion

Not available.
13.3.1.3. Comparison of the number of units in the Register of Business and the number of units included in the calculation of the amount of waste generated
NACE  A B C10-C12 C13-C15 C16 C17_C18 C19 C23 C24_C25 C26-C30 C31-C33 D E36_E37_E39 E38 F G-U_X_G4677 G4677 TOTAL excluding HH
Number of units in the Business Register

The information about the "number of units in the Business Register" can be obtained from the statistical office, however, so far, NEPA has used an administrative data source based on environmental permits to identify the units as described above under the sub-concept 13.1.
Number of units included in the calculation of the amount of waste generated*  1124  398 5787  316  446  1790 442   13109  39  23451

* for the needs of the GENER dataset (occurring in the administrative system / participating in the statistical survey).
13.3.1.4. Coverage of waste statistics with regard to extractive waste
Coverage Topsoil Overburden Waste-rock Tailings (non-haz.)
Completely covered  x  x  x  x
Partially covered        
Generally excluded        
13.3.1.5. Description of issues related to the allocation of mining waste to NACE section B or C

The data collection regarding the industrial waste generation was done by the annual survey performed by NEPA through EIS (Electronic Information System) directly from the economical operators. The data on industrial waste generation were collected by the questionnaire GD-PRODDES.

The waste classification provided by Decision 2000/532 and Decision 2014/955 (European Waste List) is used. The information collected was processed at national level (including transposition to waste categories from Waste Statistics Regulation). 

Data regarding extractive waste generation are collected similar to data regarding industrial waste generation; as a general rule, extractive data is recorded under NACE B. All types of extractive waste are covered.

It could happen that a part of the extractive waste is reported under NACE section D, not B, because there are companies with the main activity under D section and they have also mining activities.

It is to be mentioned that the number and the capacity of facilities permitted for the treatment of waste from mining activities is not included in Data set 3.
13.3.1.6. Coverage of waste treatment facilities and criteria for exclusion

See table in the concept 3.1.8.
13.3.2. Measurement error

The statistical unit used for the exhaustive survey is the company (enterprise).

Usually, waste is weighed, either at the generation source, or at the treatment facility. If not weighed, the quantity of waste is estimated, based on common assumptions of amount of waste per container or amount of waste per volume. This measurement error cannot be considered to be significant.

Information was validated by environmental protection authorities (local EPAs, NEPA) and NIS.
13.3.3. Non response error

Non-responses management has been explained at 3.1.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate

 Not applicable
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate

 Not applicable
13.3.4. Processing error

Questionnaires are filled in on-line by companies. EPAs correct and validate at local level (it is an arithmetic control and a logical control of the data, e.g. plausibility check based on amount of waste quantity / employees / NACE code / comparability with the last year). Then NEPA aggregates, process and validates data at national level, according to the Manual / Guidelines on waste statistics. The IT software from EIS has also certain primary validation rules, both arithmetic and logic.
13.3.5. Model assumption error

 Not applicable


14. Timeliness and punctuality Top
14.1. Timeliness

There are deadlines established for each step of data collection, processing, validation and dissemination. Deadlines for other types of reports on waste management are also taken into account.  
14.1.1. Time lag - first result

Data have to be submitted 18 months after the end of the reference period (T+18). Delays are due to technical issues related to application.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result

About T+18m.
14.2. Punctuality

Some delays has been registered.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication

 Not applicable


15. Coherence and comparability Top
15.1. Comparability - geographical

The same geographical areas (Romania) are used.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient

 Not applicable
15.2. Comparability - over time

Data compiled as described in each quality report.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series

 Not applicable
15.3. Coherence - cross domain

 Not applicable
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics

 Not applicable
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts

 Not applicable
15.4. Coherence - internal

Data reported by companies within the survey described above are compared with other similar reports regarding waste generation and management.


16. Cost and Burden Top

No information available at the moment. 
16.1. Burden on respondents
Survey / Source Type and total number of respondents Actual no. of respondents Time required for response Measures taken to minimise the burden
No information available at the moment.         


17. Data revision Top
17.1. Data revision - policy

Normally, no data revisions are made unless specific and significant reasons exist, e.g. new standards or requirements from Eurostat. 
17.2. Data revision - practice

When errors have been detected in the Eurostat review process, corrected data has been reported to Eurostat.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size

An explanation is provided in case of significant variation of the magnitude.


18. Statistical processing Top
18.1. Source data

See the concept 3.1.1 above.
18.2. Frequency of data collection

Annually.
18.3. Data collection

See below.
18.3.1. Description of methods of data collection on capacity of treatment facilities (Dataset FAC: facilities of treatment of waste)

Waste treatment facilities have a designed capacity, that is put in their environmental permit and that is also reported through the GD-TRAT questionnaire.

Figure regarding the number of “closed landfills” represent 3 industrial landfills (2 for hazardous waste and 1 for non-hazardous waste) that did not function in 2022 compared with 2020.
18.4. Data validation

Companies that report data on waste generation and treatment fill in specific questionnaires within the Integrated Environmental Information System that is managed by NEPA. Validation procedures include: i) primary logical and mathematical validation rules in each questionnaire; ii) specific plausibility checks for each type of questionnaire (waste codes, quantities, R/D codes etc.); iii) comparison between years for the same respondent; iv) cross-checking between different types of questionnaires; v) specific validation rules recommended by EUROSTAT.

Differences between 2022 and 2020 in terms of waste generation and treatment (both for hazardous and non-hazardous waste) are due to changes in economic activities – some activities ceased in 2022, whilst other new activities started in 2022.

Differences between generated and treated quantities come mainly from changing the waste code during the treatment flow, changing the hazardous status into non-hazardous, end of waste status after a treatment step.
18.5. Data compilation

This section is about collecting data on capacity of treatment facilities.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate

 Not applicable
18.5.2. Wet matter for sludges
  03.2
Industrial effluent sludges		 03.2
Industrial effluent sludges		 11
Common sludges		 12.7
Dredging spoils
non-hazardous hazardous non-hazardous non-hazardous
Amounts   Not applicable   Not applicable   Not applicable   Not applicable
         
18.5.3. Indicators
  03.2
Industrial effluent sludges		 03.2
Industrial effluent sludges		 11
Common sludges		 12.7
Dredging spoils
non-hazardous hazardous non-hazardous non-hazardous
Amounts   Not applicable   Not applicable   Not applicable   Not applicable
         
18.6. Adjustment

 Not applicable
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment

 Not applicable


19. Comment Top


Related metadata Top


Annexes Top