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ECN-QAS - A European Quality Assurance Scheme in respect to End-of-Waste Criteria for Compost and Digestate

Quality assurance schemes for compost and digestion products have been established themselves in the last 20 years successfully in various European Member States as a key element for the sustainable recycling of organic residues. The market and demand for quality composts increased on account of the beneficial properties of organic fertilisers and soil improvers, the need for organic matter and continuously increasing prices for mineral fertilisers. This development and also the intention by the European Commission to define an End-of-Waste standard for compost and digestate led to a demand for a European uniform Quality standard for compost plants and composted products. The European Compost Network ECN met this challenge and developed a concept for a European quality assurance scheme within its working group Standardisation and Quality Assurance. This concept includes the characterisation of quality standards for recycled organic resources especially for compost and digestate with the aim to facilitate the free cross-border movement of goods in the EU.

Quality assurance schemes for compost and digestion products have been established themselves in the last 20 years successfully in various European Member States as a key element for the sustainable recycling of organic residues. The market and demand for quality composts and digestate increased on account of the beneficial properties of organic fertilisers and soil improvers, the need for organic matter and continuously increasing prices for mineral fertilisers. This development and also the intention by the European Commission to define an End-of-Waste standard for compost and digestate led to a demand for European uniform quality standards for composting/digestion plants and composted/anaerobic treated products. The European Compost Network ECN met this challenge and developed a concept for a European quality assurance scheme. This concept includes quality standards for recycled organic resources, especially for compost and digestate, to facilitate the free cross-border movement of goods in the EU.

Based on the criteria laid down in the European standard General criteria for certification bodies operating product certification (EN 45011) and the experiences of existing quality assurance organisations in the field of biological waste management the ECN-QAS specifies requirements for quality assurance organisations in respect to aerobic and anaerobic treatment of biowaste. Additional to these criteria specific requirements for the sustainable management of biowaste with the aim to produce high quality products are given.

Quality assurance leads to improve the confidence of consumer in recycled organic materials and to increase the markets for organic goods. The pre-condition for a reliable European quality assurance is to harmonise the parameter of the treatment process and the requirements for product quality and to check them regularly by an independent control. Therefore ECN has set up a comprehensive quality assurance scheme including a positive list for input materials, requirements for the treatment process and quality criteria for the end products with declaration for their specific use.

Copyright:	© Thomé-Kozmiensky Verlag GmbH
Quelle:	Waste Management, Volume 3 (Oktober 2012)
Seiten:	7
Preis:	€ 0,00
Autor:	Dr. Stefanie Siebert
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