Dr Tim Evans, Chairman of CEN/TC 223 · 2016-03-30 · CEN CMC TC = Technical Committee MC = Member...

T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T

Dr Tim Evans,Chairman of CEN/TC 223


CEN

ISO

CEN membersAustriaBelgium

Czech RepublicDenmarkFinlandFrance

GermanyGreeceIcelandIreland

ItalyLuxembourgNetherlands

NorwayPortugal

SpainSweden

Switzerland UK

Vienna agreement

EN

IS

National standards

At the end of the dayyou need consensusand agreement


� To facilitate trade in soil improvers andgrowing media and reduce barriers to trade� Soil improver - a material added to soil in situ

primarily to maintain or improve its physicalproperties, and which may improve its chemicaland/or biological properties or activity

� Growing medium - a material, other than soil insitu, in which plants are grown

� No distinction about primary or secondary rawmaterials

� Focus on fitness for purpose and whether amaterial is traded


� Created 1986� WG1 �Labelling and Specification�� WG2 �Safety�� WG3 �Sampling and Quantity Measurement�� WG4 �Analytical Methods�� Initially too ambitious and progress was slow

∴ prioritised work programme about 1994 tofocus on the most important


� Objectives� CEN label that could be used in all countries� schedule of materials and specifications

� Do you require everything to be declared onthe label or just the most important?� Professional users might understand and require

technical data but most amateur users won�t� too much information can obscure the essential

with the trivial


� Essential information� quantity

� 40 litres when packed� responsible person� safety

� wash hands after using this product� intended use and restrictions on use

� soil improver / seed & cutting / multi-purpose / etc.� not suitable for acid-loving plants


� Long list of raw materials� peat, bark, coir, wood fibre, manure, sewage

sludge, greenwaste, olive stones, grape skins,pumice, perlite, rockwool, polystyrene .........

� Didn�t really fit the fertiliser model of productspecifications

� Even experts couldn�t identify and classifyproprietary products


� Just before the final vote several memberslodged applications for �A-deviations� to avoidconflict with their national regulations

� Published as a �report� CR 13456:1999 Soilimprovers and growing media � Labelling,Specifications and Product Schedules

� Many major producers have agreed amongstthemselves to apply much of the report


� CR 134555:1999 Soil improvers and growing media� Guidelines for the safety of users, the environmentand plants.

� lists the hazards and discusses the risks thatdifferent product types may present

� objective -� to give manufacturers a framework within which they can

assess products� to enable them to exercise due diligence with regard to

safety both as regards� occupational exposure during manufacture and� users during use of the products.

� includes considerations for labelling with respect to safety


� describes the hazard;� lists existing regulations that are relevant;� discusses the applicability of the hazard to different

types of soil improvers and growing media;� recommends safety guidelines� but no limit values

� different experts had their own ideas,� we did not have the resources to do a proper risk

assessment� limit values are the prerogative of policy makers


� Hazards� physical, fire, pH, chemical, microbiological

� Safety� users (domestic / professional) & in production� environment (fauna, flora, soil, water, air)� growth of plants

Source ➙ Pathway ➙ Receptor (dose)


� Products are� bulky� low value� some compress irreversibly� wide range of particle size - some products are

4mm others are 60mm+� A degree of compression improves precision

� net purchasers wants more compression� net producers wanted less compression


� Specifies dimensions� 20 litre cylinder� filling collar for

compression� fall controllers to

modulate velocity� straight edge to strike

off sample� Quantifies precision


� 18 people + equipment from 6 countries to amanufacturer�s factory

� 10 products sampled from bulk and measured� results analysed to ISO 5725� bottom line - standards are robust enough for

litigation� standards have been adopted by producers,

even though they have to put more in thebags



� pH� electrical conductivity� organic matter and ash� sample preparation for chemical and physical

tests, determination of dry matter content,moisture content and laboratory bulk density

� dry bulk density, air volume, water volume,shrinkage value and total pore space


� International interlab trials 1995� 19 participants� 3 products (as traded, not pre-prepared)� results analysed to ISO 5725� drafts for consultation� comments resolution� final drafts for consultation� translation and publication 1999


� aqua regia extraction� water extraction� CaCl2-DTPA (CAT) extraction� total-N

� part 1 modified Kjeldahl� part 2 Dumas� no significant difference in interlab trial

� standardise the extraction but not operation ofthe analytical instrument for determination


� International interlab trials 1997� 30 participants� 6 products (as traded, not pre-prepared)� results analysed to ISO 5725� precision of extraction standards estimated by

analysing extracts for SO4-S, Na, B, Cu, Fe,M, Mo, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, F, NH4-N, NO3-N,P, K, Ca, Mg

� published 2001


� Quantity measure for products >60mm� Ingredients are shifting from primary to

secondary raw materials ∴ new parameters� human, plant, animal pathogens

� does treatment control hazard to acceptable risk� contras

� plastic, glass, metal, stones


� organic micropollutants� WG2 concluded

� it could find no precise foundations forexisting/proposed limits

� analysis is expensive and results are extremelyvariable

� organic micropollutants in SI/GM are undesirable but itis not possible to propose limits

� however if policy makers want to set limits weneed standardised analytical methods


� Viable plant propagules� seeds, stolons, etc

� Phytotoxicity� herbicide?� Composting by-product?

� Stability� essential for GM but not for bulk SI

� Standard growing conditions� also best screen for toxins


PROJECT TEAM

WP 2 Sampling/Pretreatment

WP 4 Biological Parameters

WP 3 Hygienic Parameters

WP 5 OrganicContaminants

Steering Committee

DGResearch

CEN/TC230 CEN/TC260 CEN/TC292 CEN/TC308

ISO/TC190

MC�sCo-financing

CEN CMC

TC = Technical Committee

MC = Member Country (EU)

EU DG Research ISO/TC147 CEN/TC223

Project organisation

Technical andstrategic issues

Financial / contractual issues

MC�sCo-financing

CEN/ ENV_TC

Draft EN�s

WP 6 Inorganic parameters

WP 7 MechanicalProperties

WP 8 Leaching tests

WP 9 Data handling and interpretation

WP 1 Sample collection

and preparation

WP 10 Project Management

CEN/TC335


� SI & GM for gardeners based on �sewagecake sanitised by composting with straw�

� first alternatives to peat that competed onprice, performance and consistency

� Multipurpose growing medium

� Growing bag growing medium

� Soil improver


brand-leading coir-based mpc TERRA peat-free mpcbrand-leading coir-based mpc TERRA peat-free mpc

seed sowing trial of antirrhinumseed sowing trial of antirrhinum


brand-leading peat-based mpc TERRA peat-free mpcbrand-leading peat-based mpc TERRA peat-free mpc


performance matches brand leaderLess risk of blossom end rotEasier to feed and waterFruit tastes better

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135

days since planting

Cum

ulat

ive

wie

ght o

f goo

d rip

e "S

hirle

y" to

mat

oes

/g

TERRA

PEAT


No.Cus tomers

No. bags Bags pergardenc entre

No.Cus tomers

No. bags Bags pergardenc entre

52109

10400

29300

1997

1998

200

268

Sales grew because the products worked


� Safety labelling WG1 and WG2� Recommendations for usage - avoids misuse,

disappointment and liability� Clear description of origin� Responsible person� Quantities when packed according to WG3� Quality measured using WG4 methods� Due diligence - pathogens / deterioration in

bag / tissue analysis / exhaustion analysis


� Standards� can reduce barriers to trade� can improve comparability of data for customers

and regulators� it is essential to objectively measure precision of

standards� industry supported development of 223�s

standards� they have proved fit for purpose and have been

adopted voluntarily


I should like to thank all of the people(and their employers) who havecontributed to the success ofCEN/TC 223 and for their support,dedication and friendship

[email protected] T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T

Dr Tim Evans, Chairman of CEN/TC 223 · 2016-03-30 · CEN CMC TC = Technical Committee MC = Member...

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