./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/CHN/4
25 July 2002
(02-4124)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:  Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China
(SAC)
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Organic-inorganic
compound fertilizers.  HS:  3101, 3102, 3103, 3104, 3105          
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   National standard of
the People's Republic of China, "Organic-inorganic compound fertilizers" (7 pages,
Chinese).           
6. Description of content:
The national standard, "Organic-inorganic compound fertilizers", prescribes the technical
requirements, testing methods, inspection rules, labeling, packaging, transport and storage
of organic-inorganic compound fertilizers manufactured by fermentation of organic
materials such as livestock and poultry dung, animal and plant remains and various
decomposed urban wastes applying to farmlands with the addition of inorganic fertilizers.
These fertilizers shall conform to the requirements listed in the following Table.
Qualifications of organic-inorganic compound fertilizers
Item(a)Norm
Total nutrient (N+P 2O5+K 2O) content(b), % ≥15.0
Moisture (H 2O), % ≤10.0
Organic matter, % ≥20
Grain size (1.00mm-4.75mm or 3.35mm-5.60mm), % ≥70
PH value 5.5-8.0Mortality of roundworm eggs, % ≥95
Colititre ≥10
-1
Chloride ion content ( Cl- )(c), % ≤3.0G/TBT/N/CHN/4
Page 2
(a) The norms for As, Cd, Pb, Cr and Hg shall conform to the provisions in national
standard "limit quantity of arsenic, cadmium, lead, chromium and mercury content for
fertilizers".
(b) The single nutrient content declared is not to be less than 2.0%, and the absolute value
of minus deviation of the determined value of the single nutrient from the declared
value is not to be greater than 1.0%.
(c) If the chloride ion content of the products is greater than 3.0% and is declared on the
container as "containing chlorine", then no requirement may be given for this item.
This national standard is mandatory as stated in  the articles.  The requirements in Chapter 4,
labeling in Chapter 7, and packaging, transport and storage in Chapter 8 are mandatory, andthe others are recommended.  This national standard is applicable to organic-inorganic
compound fertilizers produced and marketed within the territories of the People's Republic
of China.          
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To protect the soil environment and limit the content of hazardous materials that are
detrimental to crop growth, human health and animal safety.
The norms for the total nutrient (total N+ available P 2O5+ total K 2O) content, organic
matter, moisture, grain size, pH value and chloride ion content in the organic-inorganic
compound fertilizers are prescribed taking into account the reality in production and use of
the fertilizers in China.  Considering the diversified sources of organic matter,
environmental protection and human safety, the norms for hazardous elements and
sanitation are also formulated.  The norms for hazardous elements (arsenic, cadmium, lead,chromium and mercury) are drawn up in conform ity with the national standard titled "Limit
quantity of arsenic, cadmium, lead, chromium and mercury content for fertilizers" (to be
issued). The formulation of the two sanitary  norms (mortality of roundworm eggs and
colititre) is done with reference to relevant standards, viz., "Control standards for urban
wastes for agricultural use" and "Sanitary standard for the non-hazardous treatment of nightsoil".
8. Relevant documents:   Public Notice of the Standardization Administration of the
People's Republic of China, reference No. to be decided.
9. Proposed date of adoption:  30 September 2002
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 April 2003
10. Final date for comments:   20 September 2002
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body: