{"id":7526,"date":"2025-07-29T10:20:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T10:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sircat.com\/?p=7526"},"modified":"2025-10-30T15:47:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T15:47:39","slug":"prior-notification-of-shipment-in-waste-management-what-is-it-when-does-it-apply-and-how-to-process-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sircat.com\/en\/prior-notification-of-shipment-in-waste-management-what-is-it-when-does-it-apply-and-how-to-process-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Prior notification of shipment in waste management: what is it, when does it apply and how to process it?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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In the field of waste management, traceability, control and regulatory compliance are essential to ensure safe and responsible waste handling. In this context, and according to Royal Decree 553\/2020<\/a> regulating the shipment of waste within the territory of the State, prior notification (NP)<\/strong> is a key tool to ensure that waste shipments -both hazardous and non-hazardous- are carried out under control and traceability, to authorized facilities and with duly authorized managers.<\/p>

What is prior notification and what is its function?<\/h2>

Prior notification<\/strong> is a mandatory administrative procedure for certain waste shipments within Spanish territory, and also for some transboundary movements. It is a communication that the operator must process and send before starting the shipment, in order to inform the competent authorities about the characteristics of the waste, its origin, destination and final treatment.<\/p>

Its main purpose is to guarantee the traceability of waste from its generation to the receiving facility, avoiding illegal shipments, bad practices or inadequate treatments. In addition, it allows the autonomous communities to oppose the shipment if there are justified environmental, health or legal reasons.<\/p>

In Catalonia, there is also an Acceptance Form (AF). This is a document similar to the NP, contains the same information, and is processed in the same way (through the SDR<\/a>). The only difference lies in the type of waste to be managed, the quantity, and the final destination of this rejection.<\/span><\/p>

What wastes require prior notification?<\/h2>

Prior notification<\/strong> does not apply universally to all waste shipments, but is aimed at those that, due to their nature, characteristics or final treatment, require greater administrative and environmental control. Specifically, shipments that meet the following characteristics are required to submit prior notification:<\/p>

Hazardous and non-hazardous waste for disposal<\/h3>

Any shipment of hazardous waste, as well as non-hazardous waste destined for a disposal operation and according to the classification set out in Annex II of Law 7\/2022<\/a> on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy, must be preceded by prior notification. These operations include incineration without energy recovery, landfill, storage prior to disposal and other forms of treatment that do not involve recovery of the materials.<\/p>

This requirement seeks to ensure that these wastes, which can present significant risks to human health and the environment, are managed only in duly authorized facilities.<\/p>

Hazardous wastes and mixtures of household wastes for valorization<\/h3>

Prior notification is also required in the case of shipments destined for recovery operations (energy recovery, recycling, composting, etc.), provided that:<\/p>