CEN/TC 223/WG 6 - Harmonization

This document specifies references to methods for sampling of soil improvers and growing media and sample preparation of soil improvers and growing media for subsequent determination of quality and quantity.
This document is applicable to EU fertilizing products classified as PFC 3, PFC 4 and PFC 7 as long as the main function of the EU fertilizing product is classified as PFC 3 or PFC 4, as specified in the Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 [2].

This document provides an overview of relevant methods for the determination of specific parameters in solid soil improvers, including:
—   dry matter content;
—   nitrogen content;
—   P2O5 (phosphorus pentoxide) and K2O (potassium oxide) content;
—   chloride content;
—   copper and zinc content;
—   quantity.
This document is applicable to solid EU fertilizing products classified as PFC 3 and PFC 7 as long as the main function of the EU fertilizing product is classified as PFC 3 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 [1].

This document provides an overview of relevant methods for the properties of compost and solid digestate when used in fertilizing products, including:
—   macroscopic impurities;
—   oxygen uptake rate;
—   self-heating factor.
This document is applicable to the following component material categories: CMC 3, CMC 4 and CMC 5, as specified in the Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 [1].

This document specifies references to methods for the determination of the following parameters:
—   pH;
—   electrical conductivity.
This document is applicable to solid EU fertilizing products classified as PFC 3(A) and PFC 7 as long as the main function of the EU fertilizing product is classified as PFC 3(A) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 [1].

This document provides an overview of relevant methods for the determination of specific parameters in growing media, including:
—   the electrical conductivity;
—   the pH;
—   dry matter;
—   the nitrogen, P2O5 (phosphorus pentoxide) and K2O (potassium oxide) content extractable by CaCl2/DTPA;
—   the total copper and zinc content;
—   the quantity.
This document is applicable to EU fertilizing products classified as PFC 4 and PFC 7 as long as the main function of the EU fertilizing product is classified as PFC 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 [1].
This document is not applicable to preformed materials such as mineral wool slabs and foam slabs.

This document specifies references to methods for sampling of soil improvers and growing media and sample preparation of soil improvers and growing media for subsequent determination of quality and quantity.
This document is applicable to the fertilizing product blends where a blend is a mix of two or more fertilising products belonging to the categories of fertilizers, liming material, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors and plant biostimulants, and where soil improvers and/or growing media are the components with the highest percentage in the blend by mass or volume, or in the case of products in liquid form by dry mass. If the soil improvers and/or growing media are not the components with the highest percentage in the blend, the European Standard relevant to the component with the highest percentage in the blend applies. In case a blend is composed of fertilising products mixed in equal quantities, the user of the standard decides which standard to apply.
NOTE   A soil improver or a growing medium consists of a single bulky (volume-building) component or a mix of bulky (volume-building) components (for example peat, wood fibres, coconut coir, compost, expanded perlite).

This document provides an overview of relevant methods for the determination of specific parameters in solid soil improvers, including:
— dry matter content;
— quantity;
— copper and zinc content;
— chloride content;
— nitrogen content;
— P2O5 (phosphorus pentoxide) and K2O (potassium oxide) content.
This document is applicable to the fertilizing product blends where a blend is a mix of two or more fertilising products belonging to the categories of fertilizers, liming material, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors and plant biostimulants, and where soil improvers and/or growing media are the components with the highest percentage in the blend by mass or volume, or in the case of products in liquid form by dry mass. If the soil improvers and/or growing media are not the components with the highest percentage in the blend, the European Standard relevant to the component with the highest percentage in the blend applies. In case a blend is composed of fertilising products mixed in equal quantities, the user of the standard decides which standard to apply.
NOTE A soil improver consists of a single bulky (volume-building) component or a mix of bulky (volume-building) components (for example peat, wood fibres, coconut coir, compost, expanded perlite).