MoreThanWaste.com - New Quality Protocol for Compost to ensure sustainable production (19/03/2007)

" The Protocol also demonstrates the benefits of working in collaboration with trade bodies, business and industry to develop solutions that meets the needs of the markets whilst also protecting the environment. It is a good example of the Environment Agency and WRAP easing regulation and creating new business opportunities"

Martin Brocklehurst, Head of Environmental Protection External Programmes for the Environment Agency

A new initiative making it easier for businesses and industry to produce more compost and reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfill has been launched by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) and the Environment Agency.

The Quality Protocol for Compost is the first of a series that will help turn waste into valuable and useful products, and is part of a drive to help to reduce the millions of tonnes of waste that ends up in landfill every year.

The Quality Protocol was published on 15 March and will come into force at the end of Compost Awareness Week (6- 12 May 2007). This will give producers and users time to put in place any additional measures necessary to meet the requirements of the Protocol before it comes into effect.

The Agency is also currently working alongside WRAP to produce further protocols on other types of waste such as tyres, flat glass, waste oils and wood.

Under the Quality Protocol for Compost, producers will be able to create compost which is no longer classed as a waste, making it a more marketable product to those who buy it, as it allows them to spread compost on to land without the need to register with the Environment Agency for a waste exemption.

This should boost the UK composting market by making it easier for businesses to market their compost as a desirable quality product to key markets such as landscaping, agriculture and horticulture. The Agency says that these markets can also be confident that the compost they are buying will be of a high environmental standard.

The Quality Protocol, which will apply in England and Wales, has been developed by the Environment Agency with key players in the composting industry, including The Composting Association (TCA) and the Environmental Services Association (ESA).

It sets out the criteria for the production of quality compost from different types of source segregated biowaste like food and garden plant waste.

The Quality Protocol will also benefit local authorities, compost customers and composting producers by:

allowing local authorities to be more confident that organic waste that they send for recycling is composted to a high standard helping them to meet Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) targets;
protecting the environment (including soil) and human health - by describing acceptable best practice for the use of quality compost on land;
easing regulation - by defining when the compost ceases to be waste and waste regulatory controls are no longer required.

BSI PAS 100

"We welcome the publication of the new protocol. As a PAS 100 producer, we feel that the publication of the protocol will reaffirm the public’s perception that compost is a product and not a waste and that it will encourage recycling on a very much broader front. Agrivert, like the rest of the industry, applauds such a common sense approach"

Harry Waters, Sales & Marketing Director for compost producer Agrivert

To be compliant with the Quality Protocol, compost producers who are already certified to BSI PAS 100 (a recognised industry standard which many compost producers currently adhere to) or in the process of gaining certification, will need to check that they are only composting types of waste that are allowed in the protocol. They will also have to ensure that they keep the additional records required from 11 May 2007 onwards.

Those that are not in the process of attaining BSI PAS100 certification will have until the 15 November 2007 to register with a certification body and pay their registration fee. The Environment Agency says that if this is not done, then the compost produced from these facilities can only be used in the following ways:

spread to land by getting an exemption from the Environment Agency; or
moved to a licensed waste management site for disposal.

Special arrangements have been made for community composters and these are outlined in the regulatory impact note published on the Environment Agency website.

The Composting Association operates a certification scheme to BSI PAS 100, which is being upgraded to incorporate the additional requirements of the Quality Protocol.

At the same time, the Association says that the certification scheme is currently in the process of being contracted out to independent certification bodies. Hand-over of each producer on the scheme will start from 1st June 2007. In the meantime, all applications for certification will continue to be managed by The Composting Association.

Comments

Martin Brocklehurst, Head of Environmental Protection External Programmes for the Environment Agency, said:

"The Protocol also demonstrates the benefits of working in collaboration with trade bodies, business and industry to develop solutions that meets the needs of the markets whilst also protecting the environment. It is a good example of the Environment Agency and WRAP easing regulation and creating new business opportunities."

WRAP’s Director of Organics Richard Swannell commented:

"This is major milestone for the composting industry and for the development of a resource economy in the UK. It will allow composters to manufacture quality products free of the ‘waste’ tag, building customer confidence and leading to further growth in this fast expanding industry."

"The composting sector has already shown its commitment to quality standards, and the 100 plus companies on the PAS 100 certification scheme are a testament to this," said TCA Chief Executive Jane Gilbert.

"By providing a framework within which quality compost is no longer classified as waste, the Quality Protocol will provide the industry with much needed clarity, enabling businesses to develop sustainable markets and realise the full potential of compost products."

ESA Director of Policy Mike Walker said:

"Standards are crucial to build confidence in recycled and recovered materials. Operators need to know what they must do to ensure a consistent quality, and users of recycled products need to know what the product is and how it can be used. This protocol is a useful step towards getting more materials into the productive economy."

“Many compost producers took part in the consultation process and the objectives of the Quality Protocol are widely supported across the industry.”

"The Quality Protocol is a big step forward for the industry, which SITA fully supports. We expect that APEX compost will meet and go beyond the requirements of the QP," says Dr Stephen Wise, General Manager for SITA Organics.

Harry Waters, Sales & Marketing Director for compost producer Agrivert says:

Protocols for the recovery of waste

The Environment Agency says that uncertainty over what constitutes ‘waste’ for the purposes of the EU Waste Framework Directive 2006 (as amended) has meant that some materials which could be re-used or recycled have been sent to landfill instead.

The waste protocols project is a joint Environment Agency and Waste Resources and Action Programme (WRAP) initiative, funded by the Department fro the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) programme.

The purpose of the waste protocols project is to identify the point at which such materials cease to be waste and when waste regulation controls no longer apply.

The developed Quality Protocols will provide guidance to business that will:

define the point of full recovery from a waste back into a product or material that can be either reused by the business or industry or sold into other markets; or
define when wastes are recovered to a state where the Environment Agency considers that their use is acceptable in accordance with their Low Risk regulatory principles; or
confirm to the business community what legal obligations remain to control the re-use of the treated waste material.

Further Information

For further information and a copy of the Protocol, visit the Environment Agency's website

[Source: Environment Agency website]


	New Quality Protocol for Compost to ensure sustainable production (19/03/2007) " The Protocol also demonstrates the benefits of working in collaboration with trade bodies, business and industry to develop solutions that meets the needs of the markets whilst also protecting the environment. It is a good example of the Environment Agency and WRAP easing regulation and creating new business opportunities" Martin Brocklehurst, Head of Environmental Protection External Programmes for the Environment Agency A new initiative making it easier for businesses and industry to produce more compost and reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfill has been launched by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) and the Environment Agency. The Quality Protocol for Compost is the first of a series that will help turn waste into valuable and useful products, and is part of a drive to help to reduce the millions of tonnes of waste that ends up in landfill every year. The Quality Protocol was published on 15 March and will come into force at the end of Compost Awareness Week (6- 12 May 2007). This will give producers and users time to put in place any additional measures necessary to meet the requirements of the Protocol before it comes into effect. The Agency is also currently working alongside WRAP to produce further protocols on other types of waste such as tyres, flat glass, waste oils and wood. Under the Quality Protocol for Compost, producers will be able to create compost which is no longer classed as a waste, making it a more marketable product to those who buy it, as it allows them to spread compost on to land without the need to register with the Environment Agency for a waste exemption. This should boost the UK composting market by making it easier for businesses to market their compost as a desirable quality product to key markets such as landscaping, agriculture and horticulture. The Agency says that these markets can also be confident that the compost they are buying will be of a high environmental standard. The Quality Protocol, which will apply in England and Wales, has been developed by the Environment Agency with key players in the composting industry, including The Composting Association (TCA) and the Environmental Services Association (ESA). It sets out the criteria for the production of quality compost from different types of source segregated biowaste like food and garden plant waste. The Quality Protocol will also benefit local authorities, compost customers and composting producers by: allowing local authorities to be more confident that organic waste that they send for recycling is composted to a high standard helping them to meet Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) targets; protecting the environment (including soil) and human health - by describing acceptable best practice for the use of quality compost on land; easing regulation - by defining when the compost ceases to be waste and waste regulatory controls are no longer required. BSI PAS 100 "We welcome the publication of the new protocol. As a PAS 100 producer, we feel that the publication of the protocol will reaffirm the public’s perception that compost is a product and not a waste and that it will encourage recycling on a very much broader front. Agrivert, like the rest of the industry, applauds such a common sense approach" Harry Waters, Sales & Marketing Director for compost producer Agrivert To be compliant with the Quality Protocol, compost producers who are already certified to BSI PAS 100 (a recognised industry standard which many compost producers currently adhere to) or in the process of gaining certification, will need to check that they are only composting types of waste that are allowed in the protocol. They will also have to ensure that they keep the additional records required from 11 May 2007 onwards. Those that are not in the process of attaining BSI PAS100 certification will have until the 15 November 2007 to register with a certification body and pay their registration fee. The Environment Agency says that if this is not done, then the compost produced from these facilities can only be used in the following ways: spread to land by getting an exemption from the Environment Agency; or moved to a licensed waste management site for disposal. Special arrangements have been made for community composters and these are outlined in the regulatory impact note published on the Environment Agency website. The Composting Association operates a certification scheme to BSI PAS 100, which is being upgraded to incorporate the additional requirements of the Quality Protocol. At the same time, the Association says that the certification scheme is currently in the process of being contracted out to independent certification bodies. Hand-over of each producer on the scheme will start from 1st June 2007. In the meantime, all applications for certification will continue to be managed by The Composting Association. Comments Martin Brocklehurst, Head of Environmental Protection External Programmes for the Environment Agency, said: "The Protocol also demonstrates the benefits of working in collaboration with trade bodies, business and industry to develop solutions that meets the needs of the markets whilst also protecting the environment. It is a good example of the Environment Agency and WRAP easing regulation and creating new business opportunities." WRAP’s Director of Organics Richard Swannell commented: "This is major milestone for the composting industry and for the development of a resource economy in the UK. It will allow composters to manufacture quality products free of the ‘waste’ tag, building customer confidence and leading to further growth in this fast expanding industry." "The composting sector has already shown its commitment to quality standards, and the 100 plus companies on the PAS 100 certification scheme are a testament to this," said TCA Chief Executive Jane Gilbert. "By providing a framework within which quality compost is no longer classified as waste, the Quality Protocol will provide the industry with much needed clarity, enabling businesses to develop sustainable markets and realise the full potential of compost products." ESA Director of Policy Mike Walker said: "Standards are crucial to build confidence in recycled and recovered materials. Operators need to know what they must do to ensure a consistent quality, and users of recycled products need to know what the product is and how it can be used. This protocol is a useful step towards getting more materials into the productive economy." “Many compost producers took part in the consultation process and the objectives of the Quality Protocol are widely supported across the industry.” "The Quality Protocol is a big step forward for the industry, which SITA fully supports. We expect that APEX compost will meet and go beyond the requirements of the QP," says Dr Stephen Wise, General Manager for SITA Organics. Harry Waters, Sales & Marketing Director for compost producer Agrivert says: "We welcome the publication of the new protocol. As a PAS 100 producer, we feel that the publication of the protocol will reaffirm the public’s perception that compost is a product and not a waste and that it will encourage recycling on a very much broader front. Agrivert, like the rest of the industry, applauds such a common sense approach." Protocols for the recovery of waste The Environment Agency says that uncertainty over what constitutes ‘waste’ for the purposes of the EU Waste Framework Directive 2006 (as amended) has meant that some materials which could be re-used or recycled have been sent to landfill instead. The waste protocols project is a joint Environment Agency and Waste Resources and Action Programme (WRAP) initiative, funded by the Department fro the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) programme. The purpose of the waste protocols project is to identify the point at which such materials cease to be waste and when waste regulation controls no longer apply. The developed Quality Protocols will provide guidance to business that will: define the point of full recovery from a waste back into a product or material that can be either reused by the business or industry or sold into other markets; or define when wastes are recovered to a state where the Environment Agency considers that their use is acceptable in accordance with their Low Risk regulatory principles; or confirm to the business community what legal obligations remain to control the re-use of the treated waste material. Further Information For further information and a copy of the Protocol, visit the Environment Agency's website [Source: Environment Agency website]