Dr Tim Evans, Chairman of CEN/TC 223 · 2016-03-30 · CEN CMC TC = Technical Committee MC = Member...
Transcript of 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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)
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� Specifies dimensions� 20 litre cylinder� filling collar for
compression� fall controllers to
modulate velocity� straight edge to strike
off sample� Quantifies precision
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
brand-leading peat-based mpc TERRA peat-free mpcbrand-leading peat-based mpc TERRA peat-free mpc
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
� 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
T I M E V A N SE N V I R O N M E N T
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