Inviting member views on update of the EU Fertilisers Regulation

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enterprise (DG ENTR) is close to deciding its final recommendations for update of the EU Fertilisers Regulation.  Their latest proposal for revising this regulation includes:

• putting End of Waste criteria for composts and digestates derived from source separated biodegradable wastes into an annex, 
• the setting of minimum criteria relating to agronomic value as well as safety related criteria, and 
• a continued structure which covers product categories named ‘inorganic fertilisers’, ‘organic fertilisers’, ‘organic soil improvers’, ‘other soil improvers’, and ‘growing media’.

Their proposals are very important to UK producers and users of composts and digestates made from biodegradable wastes because they will supersede our PAS 100, PAS 110, Compost Quality Protocol and Digestate Quality Protocol.  No EU Member State will be allowed to retain national End of Waste criteria which have the same scope as those set in the revised EU Fertilisers Regulation.

Unfortunately DG ENTR’s latest proposals cause us much concern. Consequently REA:

• has communicated at length with the European Biogas Association who will soon send their comments to DG ENTR, 
• has been working with ESA and ADBA on drafting a ‘UK Trade Associations’ Comments’ document, 
• will continue to liaise with UK and European trade associations to call for achievable criteria and suitable product categories, and 
• will keep UK Government (who will attend the final meeting at DG ENTR on 15 & 16th December) aware of our views.

Please click HERE to see the draft 'UK Trade Associations' Comments' document.

(Note: since emailing members on 14/11/2014 we have corrected the document that downloads from this webpage.  DG ENVT's proposed minimum organic carbon requirement is 2 % in fresh matter, rather than 5 % in fresh matter.) 

REA invites member feedback on the draft comments document by 5 pm on Friday 21st November.  Please send your written feedback to emily@r-e-a.net

REA, ESA and ADBA intend to send the finalised ‘UK Trade Associations Comments’ document to DG ENTR in early December.

Please note that our latest update about SEVESO III / COMAH regulations is at http://www.organics-recycling.org.uk/page.php?article=2911&name=Latest+update+on+Seveso+III+%2F+COMAH+2015+Regulations 

Latest update: 15/11/2014