Building Code Glossary
Waste: Building Code Definition
How the IRC 2009, IPC 2009 define waste, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Waste is a defined term in the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “Liquid-borne waste that is free of fecal matter.” The IPC 2009 words it differently, in Definitions: “The discharge from any fixture, appliance, area or appurtenance that does not contain fecal matter.” The IPC 2009 defines the same term with different wording, so the controlling text depends on which code governs the question in front of you — the comparison below sets the versions side by side. The term is used in 69 chapters of this corpus, most often in Indirect/special Waste (IPC 2009), Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings (IPC 2009), Definitions (IPC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Waste — IRC 2009, Definitions:
Liquid-borne waste that is free of fecal matter.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Two of the I-Codes in this corpus define Waste, and the wording is not identical — read the version that governs your question.
| Code | Where it is defined | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| IRC 2009 | Definitions | Liquid-borne waste that is free of fecal matter. |
| IPC 2009 | Definitions | The discharge from any fixture, appliance, area or appurtenance that does not contain fecal matter. |
Where waste is used in the code
The term appears in 69 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Indirect/special Waste | IPC 2009 | 90 |
| Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings | IPC 2009 | 51 |
| Definitions | IPC 2009 | 46 |
| Sanitary Drainage | IPC 2009 | 46 |
| Vents | IRC 2009 | 41 |
| Plumbing Fixtures | IRC 2009 | 40 |
| Definitions | IRC 2009 | 32 |
| Vents | IPC 2009 | 24 |
| Traps, Interceptors and Separators | IPC 2009 | 23 |
| General Requirements | IFC 2009 | 20 |
| Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy | IBC 2009 | 15 |
| Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages | IFC 2009 | 14 |
57 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about waste, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
This chapter shall govern matters concerning indirect waste piping and special wastes.
Where any fixture is provided with an overflow, the waste shall be designed and installed so that standing water in the fixture will not rise in the overflow when the stopper is closed, and no water will remain in the overflow when the fixture is empty.
Sewage or other waste from a plumbing system that is deleterious to surface or subsurface waters shall not be discharged into the ground or into any waterway unless it has first been rendered innocuous through subjection to an approved form of treatment.
The terms waste is built out of
The definition above leans on 2 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what waste covers:
- Appliance — IRC 2009: Utilization equipment, normally built in standardized sizes or types, that is installed or connected as a unit to perform one or more functions such as clothes washing, air conditioning, food mixing, deep frying, etc.
- Liquid — IBC 2009: A material that has a melting point that is equal to or less than 68°F (20°C) and a boiling point that is greater than 68°F (20°C) at 14.7 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) (101 kPa).
Waste: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IRC | Definitions | |
| Read the definition in the adopted IPC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Indirect/special Waste (IPC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings (IPC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Definitions (IPC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Sanitary Drainage (IPC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Appliance | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Liquid | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of waste?
The International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “Liquid-borne waste that is free of fecal matter.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on waste?
In this corpus the term is used across 69 chapters, led by Indirect/special Waste in the IPC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What is a waste classification code?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IRC 2009 states, in Definitions: “Liquid-borne waste that is free of fecal matter.” It is defined in IRC 2009, IPC 2009. Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.
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