EUROPEAN QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR COMPOST End-of-Waste Workshop on Compost, 22 nd March 2007 in Sevilla Dr. Stefanie Siebert Bundesgütegemeinschaft Kompost e.v. European Compost Network ECN/ORBIT e.v.
ECN - European Compost Network ECN = Around 1000 experts and plants with 20 million tons of treatment capacity from 23 European Countries. Including ECN-WG 2 Standardisation and Quality Assurance"
1. Background
ECN-QAS Work item of ECN-WG 2 Standardisation and Quality Assurance Organisation of an European-wide quality assurance system for composts and digestate products
Targets of ECN-QAS Harmonisation of the compost quality and requirements across Europe Harmonisation of quality assurance schemes across Europe Assistance to build up national quality assurance schemes Assurance and monitoring of high quality compost products in Europe
Targets of Quality Assurance Systems Specification of marketable products with a standardised and guaranteed homogenous quality Enhancement of product quality and operation quality Guarantee for a successful use of the products Deregulation and recognition of certified products by legal authorities, in agricultural systems and by food processing industry Promotion of recycling of waste from waste to product"
Preconditions for Quality Assurance The compost producer must have the readiness to invest in quality assurance. A consumer demand for certified products must exist. The monitoring requirements for the producer of quality assured products must be reduced. The recycled products must be equivalent with primary products.
Products of ECN-QAS Compost mature compost fresh compost Digestation products liquid digestate products solid digestate products Sludges Mulch sludges composted sludges bark mulch wood mulch compost mulch
2. Essential Elements
Elements of ECN-QAS A. Input Materials Positive list B. Operation quality C. Product quality Check list Product control Executed by: NQAO National Quality Assurance Organisation D. Product declaration Application recommendations
A. Suitable Raw Material The product quality of compost is determined by the quality of the input materials. Precondition for quality compost: Suitable input materials From separate collection of biowaste
B. Operation Quality Process requirements for composting plants 55 C for 14 days in open windrow systems or 65 C / 60 C for three days in open windrow / in-vessel systems Check-list for operation quality general criteria for good code of practice used for internal and external inspection
C. Product Quality C 1/4 The product quality is characterised by valuable material properties, which are suitable for soil improving and fertilising: Alkaline organic matter Nutrients Organic matter Environmental criteria define the product quality too.
Material Properties C 2/4 Soil improving properties Fertilising properties Biological parameter Material properties Parameter Organic matter content Alkaline effective matter (CaO) Nutrient contents (N; P, K, Mg) N mineralisable (NH 4 -N + NO 3 -N) Stability (decomposition degree) Plant response Water content Bulk density / Volume weight Grain size ph-value Electrical conductivity Assessment 15 %, declaration declaration declaration declaration Guide value for decomposition degree, declaration Guide value for plant response, declaration Guide value for maximum content, declaration declaration declaration declaration declaration
Environmental Criteria C 3/4 The product quality is also defined by criteria in respect to environment and health: Hygienic aspects (Salmonellae) Undesired ingredients (Impurities, seeds) Inorganic pollutants (Heavy metals)
Environmental Criteria C 4/4 Undesired ingredients and properties Parameter Salmonellae Impurities (glass, metals, plastics) Germinable seeds and plant parts Lead (Pb) Cadmium (Cd) Chromium (Cr) Cupper (Cu) Nickel (Ni) Mercury (Hg) Zinc (Zn) Evaluation absent in 25 g dm 0,5 % dm 3 seeds per liter 130 mg/kg dm 1,3 mg/kg dm 60 mg/kg dm 110 mg/kg dm 40 mg/kg dm 0,45 mg/kg dm 400 mg/kg dm
D. Product Declaration C 1/4 Application recommendations based on compost quality, properties, national and European legal requirements in line with good code fertilisation practice Safe use Successful application
3. Realization
Certification of ECN-QAS ECN-QAS ECN-QAS Quality Management Handbook Requirements for certification NQAO National Quality Assurance Organisation Control and documentation Process requirements Product requirements National requirements
ECN - Quality Management Handbook The ECN-QM Handbook defines and contains: Requirements for NQAO Operation quality Product quality Certification procedure ECN-QAS Service
Requirements for NQAO The NQAO should be an independent organisation and recognised by legal authorities. The NQAO has to meet the requirements of the national and the ECN-QAS standard (ECN Quality Management Handbook) The NQAO shall perform a regular audit of all processes. The NQAO has to document all records in a central data base. The NQAO has to report annually to the ECN-QAS committee.
Composting Plant Member of National Quality Assurance Organisation (NQAO) Quality Committee control, sanctions, measures Report to ECN-QAS Sample Taker Acknowledged Laboratory Quality Assurance Organisation Analyses assessment and central data base
Extent of Quality Assurance System Operation quality suitable input materials in accordance with national and European regulations. operation control by plant visits of independent quality managers. control by independent sample takers and by declaration in analysis report. Independent analysis and declaration of the product quality 4-12 times a year according to the quality guidelines, depending on the amount of input material. control and sanctions by an independent quality committee of the NQAO. certification with product declaration according to regulations Application recommendations application recommendations based on national and European legal requirements. application recommendations due to good fertilisation practice.
ECN-QAS Label If the compost plant and product fulfil the requirements of the national and European QAS the ECN-QAS label can be awarded.
4. Next Steps
Further Developments Further development of the ECN Quality Management Handbook Foundation of National Quality Assurance Organisations
Outlook of ECN-QAS The European Quality Assurance System defines compost products of continuously high quality which is therefore marketable and saleable on an European scale. The binding of the product quality to a quality assurance system leeds to deregulation and improves the consumer confidence in recyled products.
The End For more info please visit: www.compostnetwork.info www.kompost.de