Lesson 2.4 · 5 min
Confirmation of receipt, recovery certificate, records
Open in the coursewith narrated slides, a checklist to tick off and a quiz
At a glance
- Within two working days. The recovery facility or the laboratory confirms receipt of the waste to the arranger within two working days.
- Certificate within 30 days. Once recovery is complete, the facility certifies it within 30 days, and never later than one year after receipt.
- Through the arranger. If the facility has no access to the system, confirmation and certificate go through the arranger. For third countries, the partner in the EU enters them.
- Five years in the EU. Arranger, consignee and facility keep the information for at least five years from the recovery certificate.
In detail
The confirmation of receipt
The recovery facility or the laboratory confirms to the arranger within two working days of receipt that the waste has arrived, by completing the relevant information in Annex VII Art. 18(8). On the form, that is field 14 (BMLUK).
The recovery certificate
Under its own responsibility, the facility certifies that recovery is complete: as soon as possible, no later than 30 days after completing the recovery and no later than one year after receiving the waste Art. 18(9). On the form, that is field 15 (BMLUK).
When a facility is not connected to the system
Then it provides confirmation and certificate through the arranger Art. 18(8), (9). The BMLUK adds: if the facility's operator is in a third country and doesn't take part in DIWASS, an arranger with a seat or establishment in Austria must enter its receipt and recovery reports in EDM. The other way round, an Austrian consignee or facility must enter the transport report of an arranger from a third country.
Keeping records
The arranger, the consignee and the facility keep the information under Article 18 in the Union for at least five years from the recovery certificate Art. 20(2). The BMLUK stresses that this duty applies to the arranger as well, for the forms with the receipt confirmed in field 14 and the recovery certified in field 15.
When the facility refuses
If the facility does not accept all or part of a Green List delivery, Article 23 applies: the arranger informs the authority of dispatch, and the waste is taken back or recovered another way (lesson 4.4).
Checklist
- Every delivery gets its confirmation of receipt within two working days.
- Missing recovery certificates are chased, at most until one year after receipt.
- For facilities in third countries, we enter receipt and recovery ourselves.
- Forms with fields 14 and 15 are kept for five years.
Quiz
How long must the arranger keep the information on a Green List shipment?
- One year from receipt of the waste
- Seven years from the end of the contract
- At least five years from the recovery certificate
- At least three years from the transport
Show the answer
The answer is C: At least five years from the recovery certificate. Art. 20(2): at least five years from the date of the certificate under Art. 18(9), in the Union. The duty applies to arranger, consignee and facility.
Sources
This lesson's statements rest on:
Not legal advice. What counts is Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1290 in the Official Journal, Austrian law and the BMLUK's guidance (read on 4 October 2026). DIWASS is a system of the European Commission. Not an offer of the European Commission, the BMLUK or the Environment Agency Austria.