End of waste: compost produced from source-segregated biodegradable waste
1. The purpose of this guidance
This guidance is for regulated producers wanting to process their source-segregated biodegradable wastes to meet end of waste requirements within Article 6 of the revised Waste Framework Directive.
It is to support certification bodies providing third party accreditation under the Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd certification schemes, when carrying out their certifications.
It will also be beneficial to end users of waste derived composts who may want to review appropriate processes and end of waste status for compost they accept for use.
It clarifies when compost produced from source-segregated biodegradable waste (biowaste) is no longer considered waste.
It will help you understand when compost meets end of waste (Article 6 of the Waste Framework Directive) so you can:
- be confident that the quality of compost produced is suitable for use, for a specific purpose
- protect human health and prevent pollution of the environment, including soil
- understand when waste management controls no longer apply
- be confident that the quality of compost produced meets an approved standard
2. Waste you can use
You must:
- only use source segregated biodegradable materials as defined in the British Standard Institution's PAS 100:2018 Specification for composted materials (BSI PAS100).
and
- the materials you use must be compliant with the waste codes, descriptions and restrictions in the tables below.
Chapter 02 01
Wastes from agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, forestry, hunting and fishing
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 02 01 01 | Sludges from washing and cleaning | Only vegetables, fruit and other crops |
| 02 01 02 | Animal tissue waste | None |
| 02 01 03 | Plant tissue waste | Includes straw, other crop residues, riverine vegetation and spent growing media based on plant issues, such as compost derived from source-segregated biodegradable waste, peat and bark |
| 02 01 06 | Animal faeces, urine and manure | Includes animal faeces, urine, manure and spoiled fully biodegradable bedding |
| 02 01 07 | Wastes from forestry | Only green waste and plant tissue |
| 02 01 99 | Wastes not otherwise specified | Only spent mushroom compost or discarded mushrooms from commercial mushroom cultivation |
Chapter 02 02
Wastes from the preparation and processing of meat, fish and other foods of animal origin
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 02 02 01 | Sludges from washing and cleaning, peeling, centrifuging and separation including wash waters and sludges from secondary food processing or the cook chill sector | None |
| 02 02 02 | Animal tissue waste | May include blood and animal gut contents |
| 02 02 03 | Material unsuitable for consumption or processing | May include gut contents, shells and shellfish wastes. Includes sludges from gelatine production. |
|
02 02 04 |
Sludges from on-site effluent treatment | Only wastes from preparation and processing of meat, fish and other foods of animal origin |
Chapter 02 03
Wastes from fruit, vegetables, cereals, edible oils, cocoa, coffee, tea and tobacco preparation and processing, conserve production, yeast and yeast extract production, molasses preparation and fermentation
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 02 03 01 | Sludges from washing, cleaning, peeling, centrifuging and separation | Only sludges from food processing. |
| 02 03 04 | Materials unsuitable for consumption or processing | Only biodegradable waste. There must be no chemical additives or toxin residues present. |
| 02 03 05 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment or processing sludge from production of edible fats and oils including seasoning residue | None |
Chapter 02 05
Wastes from the dairy products industry
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 02 05 01 | Materials unsuitable for consumption or processing | Includes raw milk. Must only be biodegradable waste |
| 02 05 02 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment | None |
Chapter 02 06
Wastes from the baking and confectionary industry
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 02 06 01 | Materials unsuitable for consumption or processing | Only biodegradable waste |
| 02 06 03 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment | None |
Chapter 02 07
Wastes from the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (except coffee, tea and cocoa)
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 02 07 01 | Wastes from washing, cleaning and mechanical reduction of raw materials | Only biodegradable wastes from the processing of the raw materials used in the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (except coffee, tea and cocoa) |
| 02 07 02 | Wastes from spirits distillation | Only spent grains, hops and whisky filter sheets and cloths, yeast and yeast like residues, sludge from the distillation process, or malt husks, malt sprouts, yeasts and yeast-like residues |
| 02 07 04 | Material unsuitable for consumption or processing | Only biodegradable wastes from processing raw materials used in producing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (except coffee, tea and cocoa) |
| 02 07 05 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment | Only sludges from the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (except coffee, tea and cocoa) |
Chapter 03 01
Wastes from wood processing and the production of panels and furniture, pulp, paper and cardboard
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 03 01 01 | Waste bark and cork | Only virgin timber |
| 03 01 05 | Sawdust, shavings, cuttings, wood and particle board other than those in 03 01 04 only | Only virgin timber |
Chapter 03 03
Wastes from pulp, paper, and cardboard production and processing
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 03 03 01 | Waste wood and bark | Only virgin timber |
| 03 03 10 | Fibre rejects, fibre-, filler- and coating-sludges from mechanical separation | Only allowed if not mixed with, or does not contain, de-inking sludge |
| 03 03 11 | Sludges from on-site effluent treatment other than those mentioned in 03 03 10 | Only allowed if not mixed with, or does not contain, de-inking sludge |
Chapter 04 02
Wastes from the textile industry
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 04 02 10 | Organic matter from natural products (for example grease, wax) | Only biodegradable material |
| 04 02 21 | Wastes from unprocessed textile fibres | Only biodegradable material |
Chapter 07 02
Waste from the manufacture, formulation, supply and use of plastics, synthetic rubber and man-made, fibres
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 07 02 13 | Waste plastic |
Only unused and uncontaminated excess production that meets the restriction for the waste type in Note 1 at the end of this section |
Chapter 15
Waste packaging; absorbents, filter materials wiping cloths and protective clothing
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 15 01 01 | Paper and cardboard packaging |
Only if:
|
| 15 01 02 | Plastic packaging | Must meet the restriction for the corresponding waste type in Note 1 at the end of this section |
| 15 01 03 | Wooden packaging | Only virgin timber |
|
15 01 05 |
Composite packaging |
Only if each component:
|
|
15 01 09 |
Textile packaging | Only natural fibres |
|
15 02 03 |
Absorbents, filter materials or cloths from the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages other than those mentioned in 15 02 02 | Only hops and whisky filter sheets and cloths made from compostable material |
Chapter 16
Wastes not otherwise specified in the list
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 16 03 06 | Organic wastes other than those mentioned in 16 03 05 | Only untreated wool fleece (excludes hides and skins) |
| 16 10 02 | Aqueous liquid wastes other than those mentioned in 16 10 01 |
Includes:
Liquor or leachate must come from a composting process that:
|
Chapter 17 05
Soil (including excavated soil from contaminated sites), stones and dredging spoil
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 17 05 06 | Dredging spoil other than that in 17 05 05 |
Only:
|
Chapter 19 02
Wastes from physico-chemical treatment of wastes
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 19 02 03 | Premixed wastes composed only of non-hazardous wastes |
This must:
|
| 19 02 06 | Sludges from physico-chemical treatment other than those mentioned in 19 02 05 |
This must:
|
Chapter 19 05
Wastes from aerobic treatment of solid wastes
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 19 05 01 | Non-composted fraction of municipal and similar wastes |
This must:
|
| 19 05 02 | Non-composted fraction of animal and vegetable wastes |
This must:
|
| 19 05 03 | Off-specification compost |
The compost must only come from the input types allowed by this guidance or the anaerobic digestate guidance. This includes oversize material that comes from screening the compost. Must be made up of previously sanitised batches. |
Chapter 19 06
Wastes from anaerobic treatment of solid wastes
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 19 06 03 | Liquor from anaerobic treatment of municipal waste |
This must:
|
| 19 06 04 | Digestate from anaerobic treatment of municipal waste |
This must:
Must not contain wastes that come from mechanical biological treatment facilities |
| 19 06 05 | Liquor from anaerobic treatment of animal and vegetable waste |
This must:
Must not contain wastes that come from mechanical biological treatment facilities |
| 19 06 06 | Digestate from anaerobic treatment of animal and vegetable waste |
This must:
Must not contain wastes that come from mechanical biological treatment facilities |
Chapter 19 12
Wastes from the mechanical treatment of waste not otherwise specified
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 19 12 01 | Paper and cardboard (excluding veneers or plastic coatings) | Must meet the restriction for the corresponding waste type in Note 1 at the end of this section |
| 19 12 12 | Other wastes (including mixtures of materials) from mechanical treatment of wastes other than those mentioned in 19 12 11 |
This must:
|
Chapter 20 01
Municipal waste (household waste and similar commercial, industrial and institutional wastes) including separately collected fractions
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 20 01 01 | Paper and cardboard | This must meet the restriction for the corresponding waste type in Note 1 at the end of this section. Must not contain any non-biodegradable coating or preservative. |
| 20 01 08 | Biodegradable kitchen and canteen waste |
This must meet the restriction for the corresponding waste type in Note 1 at the end of this section |
| 20 01 25 | Edible oil and fat |
None |
| 20 01 39 | Plastics |
This must meet the restriction for the corresponding waste type in Note 1 at the end of this section |
Chapter 20 02
Garden and park wastes (including cemetery waste)
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 20 02 01 | Biodegradable waste |
This must be biodegradable material such as:
It must not contain:
|
Chapter 20 03
Other municipal wastes
| Waste code | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 20 03 01 | Mixed municipal waste | This must be separately collected biodegradable wastes that are the types allowed by this guidance. Any food packaging must meet the restriction for the waste type in Note 1 at the end of this section. |
| 20 03 02 | Waste from markets | This must be separately collected biodegradable wastes that are the types allowed by this guidance. Such as plant material, fruit and vegetables. Any food packaging must meet the restriction for the waste type in Note 1 at the end of this section. |
Note 1
You can only use industrially compostable packaging and non-packaging items that are independently certified as compliant with at least one of the following:
- EN 13432
- EN 14995
- ASTM D6400
You can only use home compostable packaging and non-packaging items that are independently certified as compliant with at least one of the following:
- EN 17427
- AS 5810-2010
- NF T51-800
- TÜV Austria’s certification requirements for home compostable packaging under their ‘OK compost HOME scheme’
3. End of waste
Compost will have met the end of waste test, and not be considered waste if all of the following are met.
- It has been produced using only the source-segregated biodegradable wastes listed above.
- The waste must have been stored and processed in line with the specifications defined in BSI PAS100, with the additional quality standard:
- The maximum allowed concentration of plastic is 0.06% m/m in air-dry compost. This is equivalent to 50% of the plastics limit that is part of Item 12 in Table 3 of BSI PAS 100.
- Certification has been obtained confirming compliance with BSI PAS100 (as set out in Section 6)
- It needs no further treatment, other than the methods described in BSI PAS100, before the intended use
- It meets any extra specification requested by and agreed with your customer
- There is certainty of use for the material (see section 3 and 4)
- Records are kept, in line with section 5, to evidence how the requirements of end of waste are satisfied for the quality and quantity of the compost produced, including certainty of use and nutrient management plan requirements.
- Certified composts held in storage with no specific and confirmed use for the quality and quantity stored, suggests that there is no specific purpose and no demand exists for this material. In those circumstances the material will be considered a waste. This means you must follow waste management controls.
4. Use of compost
The use of the compost must comply with the requirements of this guidance, relevant legislation and land management agreements. Relevant legislation may include but is not limited to:
- Animal By-Products Regulations
- Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations
- Codes of Good Agricultural Practices
- Groundwater protection - GOV.UK
- Assessing environmental impact in agriculture
- Find protected areas of land and sea
Failing to do this, or to comply with waste management controls when you cannot show compliance with end of waste criteria, may be an offence.
5. Nutrient management plans
When supplying compost to agriculture, your compost supply documentation must tell the customer that:
- they must have a written nutrient management plan (NMP) to include all nutrients from all sources before use
- they must apply compost in line with the NMP, taking into account any other organic manures and manufactured fertilisers, at rates that do not exceed soil and crop need
- they are responsible for following their NMP
- where there is no soil and crop need for the compost, it is considered waste and they must follow waste management controls
If you do not do this, NRW may take action in line with its enforcement and sanctions policy.
6. Record keeping
Record your incoming waste. Your records need to include:
- the waste code and waste description, in compliance with your environmental permit or exemption
- its volume or weight
- the source of the waste
- the date of delivery
- the name and address of supplier
- the name and address of carrier
- your method for confirming the waste is acceptable input material and, if it’s not acceptable (including only in part), your rejection reasons and what you did with the rejected waste
Record your outgoing product. Retain copies of customer supply documentation (for 4 years as set out in section 6), including details of customer obligations for the use and NMP requirements (where appropriate), as set out in section 4.
Include a declaration in your customer supply documentation that the final product meets:
- BSI PAS100
- the requirements of the end of waste criteria in this document
- any additional customer specifications (as agreed between the supplier and the customer)
You must make all records available for inspection when requested.
7. Certification
You must show you comply with the requirements of this document, including all the conditions of BSI PAS100. You must prove this to a certification body that is:
- appointed by the Compost Certification Scheme
- operating in line with scheme rules agreed with NRW
- accredited, or can demonstrate working towards accreditation to ISO 17065:2012 (or its latest equivalent) by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), maintained annually
As part of the certification process, you must:
- make and keep records for a minimum of 4 years, following the guidance in section 5
- make these records available to the certification body for certification purposes
NRW will agree scheme rules if:
- the method of certification shows that the requirements of this end of waste criteria and BSI PAS100 are being met
- compliance is certified annually by an independent certification body that is accredited as detailed above.
- the accredited certification body is accredited to certify compost
- certification verifies source documentation, evidence of site management procedures (including compliance with the quality management system) and laboratory test results
- the certification body or its authorised contractor carries out at least one site inspection a year to check and confirm on-site documentation
- an impartial committee oversees the certification process
8. Loss of non-waste status
Compost meeting these end of waste criteria will become waste again (meaning you must follow waste management controls) if, at any stage:
- it is discarded
- the holder intends to or is required to discard it
- it is applied in excess of soil and crop requirements
- it is stored indefinitely with little prospect of being used
The above applies to anyone holding stores of compost, not just producers.
9. Mixing waste and non-waste
If compost that meets end of waste criteria is mixed with waste material, the whole mixed volume becomes waste and waste management controls must be followed.
If compost that meets end of waste criteria is mixed with other non-waste material, the whole mixed volume is not waste. Doing this is not considered further treatment. For example, blending compost which has met end of waste criteria for compost with digestate that has met end of waste criteria is not a waste activity, as neither material is waste.
10. Standards and specifications
British Standard Institution's PAS 100:2018 Specification for composted materials (BSI PAS100). You can download copies of BSI PAS100 from:
11. Review and compliance
NRW will review this guidance as required, and can withdraw or amend it at anytime if considered necessary (for example, if there is evidence of abuse of the guidance, there are pollution incidents related to materials claimed under this guidance, there is a change in legislation or scientific evidence etc).
If the procedures outlined within this document are not followed to demonstrate end of waste for compost, we may take action in line with our enforcement and sanctions policy.