Bioaerosol risk guidance for composters published

The organisations have worked together to produce two documents; one, published yesterday (July 14), is a protocol for the monitoring of bioaerosols – airborne particles which can be produced during the composting process potentially containing bacteria and fungi – while the other, due to be published shortly, offers specific advice on how to carry out risk assessments.

The guidance outlines the procedures that should be used as a minimum standard to test for risk and bioaerosols and represents a more standardised approach from the EA and AFOR.

It comes at a time when the organics sector faces significant pressure from the public about the potential problems caused by bioaerosols (see letsrecycle.com story) and it is intended to help Agency officers strike a balance between making the right decision for the composting sector while protecting human health at all times.

Viv Dennis, waste policy officer at the EA, said: “Our focus on bioaerosols must be human health. It's the main issue for us and is very important.”

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