Are there any generally accepted standards for compost?
There’s going to be a lot more compost for sale in garden centres and DIY stores over the next few years as more and more household/garden waste is recycled. But when faced with a choice between peat and compost how can you be sure the compost is any good? Compost feeds the soil population, and leads to a build up in the long-term fertility of the soil. It provides energy and nutrients for the soil microbes enabling them to grow and multiply and supply N, P, K and micronutrients in a balanced form. Microbes also assist in the formation of good soil structure which is important for the supply of air and water in the soil. Various organisations are currently putting together standards for compost based on detailed analysis of the individual components e.g. nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), zinc (Zn). The main concern is that the compost might contain nasty things such as toxic metals or weeds and diseases. The Soil Association has set limits for the concentration of potentially toxic element
