Tag Archives: compost

Composters warned of Xylella threat

To help protect EU Member States against the introduction of Xylella fastidiosa, EU emergency legislation has been introduced, which includes requirements to protect against introductions from non-EU countries, as well as from those parts of the EU where it is has been detected.

As well as introducing requirements for imports of non-EU plants and the movement of ‘specified plants’ (which include the confirmed hosts of Xylella fastidiosa in the EU and further afield), speaking at the annual Organics Recycling Group conference on 3 March, Mike Dennison, veterinary officer at the APHA said, “There is a new plant disease in the news. It is quite possible this could have an effect in terms of composting which needs to be controlled.” He suggested that this could mean composts from at risk sources needed to be heat treated, for example through In-Vessel Composting or anaerobic digestion.

Photo Caption: Dieback caused by Xylella

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The post Composters warned of Xylella threat appeared first on Hort News on 17 March 2016.

New legislation on organic fertilisers proposed

The European Commission is due to publish a legislative proposal which will recognise digestate from anaerobic digestion and compost as fertilisers under EU law.

Only mineral fertilisers are currently under the Fertilisers Regulation of EU law meaning they can be freely traded across the EU market, something that it is not possible for organic fertilisers which are subject to diverse national legislation.

This revision aims to create a level playing field between the two sectors and opening up the possibility to trade digestate and compost freely across the EU. It is expected that the regime would run in parallel to existing national legislation on organic fertilisers, offering the possibility to producers to comply with national rules if the product is intended for use within the country’s borders.

The proposal is expected to be formally published by the European Commission at the end of March. Once published it will be formally considered, and may be amended, by the European Parliament and the Council.

Photo Caption: Applying compost

Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons

The post New legislation on organic fertilisers proposed appeared first on Hort News.