The soil conditioner is from the CARE Compost range produced by Jack Moody at a composting site in Shareshill, Wolverhampton.
 The symbol carried by Composting Association accredited products |
The Composting Association Standards for Compost are intended to provide independent quality assurance backed up by regular, thorough checks. Participating companies must document production procedures, regularly monitor the performance of their compost quality, and provide accurate, up-to-date information about their products.
Jane Gilbert, chief executive of the Composting Association, said: “This soil conditioner is the product of one of the best manufacturing and composting processes in the UK.”
The certification scheme is supported by WRAP's Compost Standards Programme. This has seconded two full-time staff members to work alongside organisations seeking accreditation. WRAP is also developing a British Standards Institution Publicly Available Specification for compost (PAS 100) which will build on the existing industry standard (see letsrecycle.com story).
Special projects manager at WRAP Anne Riding said: “Standards for composted materials are key elements of our business plan. Growers, gardeners, groundsmen, landscapers and others involved in using composts will all benefit from the easy means to identify high quality reliable composts this symbol provides.”
Jack Moody has been producing compost for seven years and its Shareshill site has been designated a Best Practice Site by WRAP. Managing director Robert Moody said: “For a long time we have been consistently producing high quality composts from source-segregated plant materials using an open-air, turned windrow process.
“We are proud to be the first company to consistently produce compost good enough to gain this prestigious accreditation.”
BSI Standard
The consultation phase on the WRAP-sponsored Publicly Available Specification 100 for compost is now over. The deadline for comments on the draft PAS, a revised version of the Composting Association Standards for Composts, was August 30.
It is planned that PAS 100 will be published this autumn by the BSI. The Composting Association will then update its Standards Certification Scheme so that it can provide verification of compost conformity with the BSI standard.
