Quality Standards Propel Compost to the Forefront of Sustainable Soil Health and Waste Reduction.
With sustainability at the forefront, the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) has granted its first accreditations under Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd’s (REAL) Compost Certification Scheme (CCS). Emma Laws from REAL sheds light on the crucial role of compost standards in maintaining soil health, reducing waste, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
Compost, often overlooked in the recycling narrative, plays a pivotal role in sustaining soil health and addressing waste reduction. Aiming to assure the quality of compost throughout its production cycle, the Compost Quality Protocol was introduced in 2007 by the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) Programme, in collaboration with the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and the Environment Agency (EA).
This protocol ensures the safe production of quality compost from source-segregated biowaste, benefiting everyone from avid gardeners to major agricultural producers.
Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd (REAL), dedicated to certification, consumer protection, and promoting renewable energy and circular economies, developed the Compost Certification Scheme (CCS). The CCS serves as a framework for the independent assessment and certification of compost, providing assurance of quality and 'end-of-waste' status. The scheme primarily caters to compost used in farming and gardening.
In a significant milestone, UKAS recently accredited three certification bodies under the CCS, marking a 12-month pilot assessment programme. The accreditation, granted against the standard ISO/IEC 17065:2012, brings credibility and assurance to the assessment process and underscores the commitment to quality and standards.
Emma Laws, Research and Communications Officer at REAL, emphasises the importance of UKAS accreditation in instilling confidence in the certified material. She states, "The UKAS mark is well recognised and respected; it brings greater credence to certification."
Compost quality goes beyond the garden, impacting global agricultural practices. It not only enhances crop yield, crucial in a world facing population growth and food shortages, but also reduces reliance on chemical fertilisers. Compost aids in water retention, boosts plant growth, reduces harmful run-offs, and rejuvenates soil contaminated by hazardous waste.
"Soil is a really important ecosystem. There are more organisms in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on the planet, so it is really important that we maintain soil health in this country," says Laws.
The diverse feedstocks processed in the CCS scheme, ranging from garden waste to catering waste and compostable packaging, undergo varying composting methods. The certification process involves compliance with three key aspects: PAS 100, which sets parameters for testing; the Compost Quality Protocol, guiding the transition from waste to product; and REAL's scheme rules.
"The PAS 100 certification mark means that compost has been independently verified and assessed against a recognised standard. It means it has achieved end-of-waste status, so is completely safe for use as a product and has been fully tested; the CCS requirements set out limits including on things such as plastic content and potentially toxic elements. It basically means safety and quality, which is what we are all striving for," Laws concludes, highlighting the significance of quality standards in the compost industry.
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