98/488/EC: Commission Decision of 7 April 1998 establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to soil improvers
Date: 1998-04-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: eco-label, fertiliser, labelling, product quality, product safety, soil conditioning

7. 8. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 219/39

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 7 April 1998

establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to
soil improvers

(98/488/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 880/92 of
23 March 1992 on a Community eco-label award
scheme (1), and in particular Article 5 thereof,

Whereas in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EEC)
No 880/92 the Commission has consulted the principal
interest groups within a consultation forum;

Whereas the measures set out in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the committee set up
pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92,

Whereas Article 5 of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92
provides
the
Community eco-label shall be defined by product group;

the conditions

the award of

that

for

Whereas Article 10(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92
states that the environmental performance of a product
shall be assessed by reference to the specific criteria for
product groups;

the Commission
Whereas, by Decision 94/923/EC (2),
established ecological criteria for
the
Community eco-label to soil improvers, which, according
to Article 3 thereof, were valid until 14 November 1997;

the award of

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The product group ‘soil improvers' shall mean:

‘Materials sold as end user products for gardening to
be added to the soil to improve at least its physical
condition or its physical and biological condition
without causing harmful effects.'

Whereas it is appropriate to adopt a new Decision estab-
lishing criteria for this product group, which will be valid
for a further period of three years after the expiry of the
period of validity of the previous criteria;

The environment performance of the product group as
defined in Article 1 shall be assessed by reference to the
specific ecological criteria set out in the Annex.

Article 2

Whereas it is appropriate to revise the criteria which were
established by Decision 94/923/EC in order to reflect the
developments in the market;

Whereas products must be in compliance with national
legislation which is
in conformity with Community
health, safety and environmental requirements without
prejudice to regulatory requirements of Community or
national law applicable to the various life stages of the
product;

(1) OJ L 99, 11. 4. 1992, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 364, 31. 12. 1994, p. 21.

Article 3

The product group definition and the specific ecological
criteria for the product group shall be valid from 1 April
1998 until 31 March 2001.

Article 4

For administrative purposes,
the product group code
number assigned by the Commission to this product
group shall be ‘003'.

L 219/40

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

7. 8. 98

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 5

Done at Brussels, 7 April 1998.

For the Commission

Ritt BJERREGAARD

Member of the Commission

7. 8. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 219/41

ANNEX

FRAMEWORK

In order to qualify for an eco-label the soil improver as defined below shall comply with the criteria and
requirements of this document, which are aimed at promoting:

(cid:190) the use and/or re-use of organic matter derived from the collection and/or processing of waste materials

and therefore contributing to a minimisation of solid waste,

(cid:190) the reduction of environmental damage or risks from heavy metals and nutrients in products to be

marketed and applied as soil improvers.

1. Product source

A soil improver will only be considered for the award of an eco-label if its organic matter content is provided
by constituents derived from the processing and/or re-use of waste materials (as defined in Directive
75/442/EEC on waste and in Annex I to the said Directive).

Note: the term ‘organic' refers in the general sense to materials of, or formed from/by, living organisms.

Products must not contain sewage sludge.

Products which include materials of animal origin shall comply with the provisions set out by existing
Community legislation.

ECOLOGICAL CRITERIA

2. Soil degradation and water pollution

In the final product, the content of the following elements must be lower than the values shown below,
measured in terms of dry weight:

Element

Zn
Cu
Ni
Cd
Pb
Hg
Cr
Mo (*)
Se (*)
As (*)
F (*)

mg/kg

300
100
50
1
100
1
100
2
1,5

10
200

(*) Data relating to the presence of these elements are needed only for products
containing material from an industrial process and municipal solid waste.

Products must not contain bark which has been treated with lindane, cypermethrin or promecarb. If the
product contains bark, traces of lindane (c - HCH) in the bark must not exceed 0,1 mg/kg.

L 219/42

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

7. 8. 98

3. Nutrient loadings

The concentration of nitrogen in the product must not exceed 2 % total N (of dry matter).

When used at the recommended rates of application, products must not exceed maximum nutrient loadings
of:

(cid:190) 17 g/m2 total nitrogen,

(cid:190) 6 g/m2 P
,
2
(cid:190) 12 g/m2 K2O.

O
5

Note: Products will be exempt from this requirement if less than 10 % (w/w) of the nutrient content is
available for plant growth during the first season of application. Such products (for example many
mulches) are defined as those having a C:N ratio greater than 30:1.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

4. General labelling

The following information must be provided either on the packaging or by other means (e.g. leaflet) with the
product:

(cid:190) the name and address of the body responsible for marketing,

(cid:190) a descriptor identifying the product by type, including the phrase ‘soil improver',

(cid:190) recommended conditions of storage and the recommended ‘use by' date, together with a manufacturing

batch code,

(cid:190) a description of the purpose for which the product is intended and any limitations to use. The suitability of

the product for particular plant groups (e.g. calcifuges or calcicoles) should be stated,

(cid:190) the major feedstocks (those over 10 % by volume) from which the product has been manufactured,
industrial and

distinguishing between municipal solid waste, wastes from agriculture or
commercial wastes specifying the sector (e.g. food processing, paper, etc.),

forestry,

(cid:190) a statement on recommended methods of use and rate of application expressed as kilograms or litres of
product per m2 of ground per annum; the application rate shall take into account the content and
availability of nutrients in order not to exceed the maximum nutrient loadings per m2,

(cid:190) a statement on the concentrations of N, P

2O5 and K2O,

(cid:190) a statement on the concentrations of organic matter,

(cid:190) a table or list with the concentration limits for the heavy metals mentioned in this Annex,

(cid:190) guidelines for safe handling and use.

5. Product performance

All products must be supplied in a solid form and contain not less than 25 % dry matter by weight and not
less than 20 % organic matter (measured by loss of ignition). Products must not adversely affect plant
emergence or subsequent growth.

6. Health and safety

Products must not exceed the maximum levels of primary pathogens set out in the table below:

Fresh material

Salmonella
E. coli

Absent in 25 g
:1 000 MPN (*)/g

(*) MPN: most probable number.

7. 8. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 219/43

7. Nuisance

No product shall give rise to persistent offensive odours after being applied to the soil.

No product shall contain any fragments of glass, wire, other metal or hard plastic which may constitute a
hazard to human health.

No product shall introduce unacceptable numbers of weed seeds or the vegetative reproductive parts of
aggressive weeds into the soil.

8. Test methods and analysis

Test methods and analysis for heavy metals are to be in accordance with the requirements of Directive
86/278/EEC. In the absence of internationally agreed test methods for physical and microbiological analysis as
well as for other requirements in relation to soil improvers the test method is the responsibility of Member
States.

The product must bear the following information on the packaging:

CONSUMER INFORMATION

This product qualifies for the EU eco-label, because:

•

it contributes to the reduction of soil and water pollution and minimises waste by
promoting its use or re-use.