The voluntary, industry-led code will suggest benchmarks for working practices at composting sites and, said the Association, hopefully meaning any more regulation suggested for the sector would be kept to a minimum.
“Increasing regulation not only places greater constraints on composters but also on the regulators themselves. A proven means of giving both sides assurance in the system is through the adoption of an Industry Code of Practice,” said a spokesman.
Dr Jane Gilbert, chief executive of the Composting Association ,
said the organisation was keen to lead the industry forward through the development of the Code. “The code will greatly assist all organisations involved in the regulation and process of compost production by providing a benchmark from which everyone can operate.”
Protect
As with other waste management practices, the health impacts of composting have been a hot topic over the past few years. Some of the main aims of the Composting Industry Code of Practice (CICOP), said the Association, are to protect the environment; prevent serious disamenity to the locality and protect human health.
Mary Messer, technical officer at the Association said actual proposals for the Code could not be discussed yet, but she revealed that members of the Association would be able to fit in with its benchmarks fairly easily.
“Our members and anyone on the PAS 100 scheme – the Association's certification scheme – will not find following the Code too onerous,” said Ms Messer.
A first draft of the code will be issued at the end of this month (January 2005) for finalisation by the end of February and publication in March.
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