Are there regulations or standards for compost quality?
Compost produced in Canada may be subject to regulation by the federal and the provincial governments. Several provinces have guidelines and standards which determine the suitability of the material for use on a regulated or unregulated basis. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada regulates compost offered for sale in Canada through the federal Fertilizers Act. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) has worked to establish national guidelines for compost quality. In addition, the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ), a member of the Standards Council of Canada, has developed voluntary industry standards for compost quality. Compost which meets this standard will be able to bear a BNQ label as an indication of its quality.
There are no standards for compost in the UK. However you must comply with the requirements of the ABPR if composting animal by-products. There is a specification called PAS 100 which you can comply with and this can either be self-certification or third party certification. However, consultation with the Environmental Agency (EA) is required at an early stage to ensure that they will allow spreading of the compost even if you meet PAS 100. It should be noted that the compost produced from waste is still a waste under the law, even if it has undergone a fully licensed and approved process. Therefore the EA may require you to only spread on land if you can show it has agricultural benefit, or under an exemption which limits the amount that can be applied or on a fully licensed site, i.e. a site that has a Waste Management Licence. It should also be noted that in Scotland, the EA or SEPA, have stated that as long as the compost achieves PAS 100 or other equivalent standards then it can b
