Compost online

A new web-based tool has been launched for suppliers and users of high-quality compost to record information and improve agricultural practices.
The tool was sponsored by WRAP and developed by Enviros Consulting and the Composting Association. It has been created so that producers and recipients of BSI PAS 100 grade can be better informed when making choices over types of compost. Producers of compost who register at the website are required to enter the nutrient status, pH and organic matter content of their compost. Soil test results can be added to the site and the tool uses this information to predict how nutrient levels would differ following the use of compost. This way, land managers can plan their applications for compost according to soil requirements and conditions.
The tool can also estimate the effect on Potentially Toxic Element (PTE) levels, which are strictly limited under The Quality Protocol for Compost (QPC), a set of criteria for the production of quality compost.
Emily Nichols, a member of the technical team at The Composting Association hopes that the web tool will help maintain a consistently high standard of compost production. “It is very useful for compost producers in discussing nutrient levels with farmers and for them to understand how compost will affect the land. It is a steady process, but there is a good level of use and hopefully that will continue as customer bases increase and producers continue to implement QPC requirements.”