This document describes the necessary steps to be performed before carrying out ecotoxicity tests on wastes. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on the taking of the sample, transport, storage of wastes and to define preparation, for the determination of ecotoxicological properties of wastes under the conditions specified in this document by biological testing either as raw wastes or water extracts from wastes. Sample preparation for other applications (e.g. assessment of waste effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms in a disposal scenario) is not considered. Specifying a test battery to characterize ecotoxicological properties of wastes is not in the scope of this document. This document is applicable to solid and liquid wastes.