Manufacturers of controlled release fertilisers have welcomed the voting through of key amendments to the EU Fertilisers Draft Regulation at a committee of the European Parliament.
Proposals suggested the polymer “shall be capable of undergoing physical, biological decomposition, such that most of it ultimately decomposes into carbon dioxide (CO2), biomass and water. It shall have at least 90% of the organic carbon converted into CO2 in maximum 24 months, in a biodegradability test.”
The amendment changed this to: “48 months after the end of the claimed functionality period of the fertilizing product indicated on the label, and as compared to an appropriate standard in the biodegradation test.”
Polymers other than nutrient polymers may now be included for improving the stability of the CE marked fertilising products.
Another amendment was CE marked product containing polymers other than nutrient polymers shall be exempted “under the condition that the polymers are solely used as binding material for the fertilising product and they are not in contact with the soil”.
ICL marketing manager Dave Steward said: “The change is what we all wanted and we have been told that the arguments and the support that the UK gave was instrumental in making these amendments.”
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