The BSI Publicly Available Specification for Compost (PAS 100) has been developed with help from the Composting Association and funding from the Waste and Resources Action Programme. It will be incorporated into the Composting Association's accreditation scheme for quality compost.
Mr Meacher said: “Standards that will increase the market for compost products are needed if compost is to play a key role in the diversion of waste away from landfill.” A quality standard would also help to reduce the demand for peat, he said. “We need to reduce the use of peat, which is a non-renewable resource, and gaining the confidence of growers in the quality of compost is essential to getting people's attitudes to shift.”
“But people are not convinced they can do it by other means until we have a reliable and high standard for compost – that's why it's essential,” Mr Meacher said.
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Chairman of WRAP Vic Cocker said that independent monitoring of standards assured end-users of quality, consistency and reliability. “The composting industry is entering a period of rapid change, with the Landfill Directive and local authority recycling targets,” he said.
“The size of the industry is going to at least double over the next five to 10 years – probably more. So it will be more difficult for buyers to differentiate between products on the basis of quality.”
Award
At a Parliamentary reception for the BSI launch, it was announced that a second company has won Composting Association accreditation for its compost.
Waste Recycling Group was awarded the quality mark for two products produced in Gowy, Cheshire: the 0-6mm and 0-28mm soil conditioners.
WRG chief executive Nigel Sandy said the award was a “major milestone” for the company, which expects to compost 220,000 tonnes of green waste across the UK this year. It is currently working towards accreditation at five other sites.
The first company to gain Composting Association accreditation was Wolverhampton-based Jack Moody. Managing director Robert Moody said: “Certification is vital for our business development and will lead to the expansion of our work with local authorities, landscape architects and contractors.”
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