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Annex C: Community Composting
1. The Scottish Executive recognises the potentially valuable role that community composting schemes can play to utilise household garden waste, as compost for local use.
2. Currently regulation, through the Waste Management Licensing Regulations Schedule 3 Paragraph 12, allows up to 100 tonnes per annum of material to be composted with no charge. Up to 400 tonnes waste material may be composted with a reduced fee with some restrictions on the type of materials that can be accepted for composting depending on the infrastructure in place at the site. The Scottish Executive propose no changes to this part of the regulations at present as we believe these allow balanced regulatory controls on community composting schemes.
3. Under current regulations compost created in any community compost site remains classified as a waste material, unless the scheme meets an approved composting standard. Currently in Scotland the only recognised compost standard is PAS 100:2005.
4. Compost not complying with the PAS 100 standard must be used in a manner which complies with the Waste Management Licensing Regulations. Normally compost would be spread on land to improve crop yield or aid growth of some plant species. The regulations would usually therefore require that the operator apply for a Schedule 3 Paragraph 7 Waste Management Exemption. These exemptions are fee paying and also require that the compost is tested for quality and also that the receiving soil is tested.
5. To comply with the PAS 100 standard the compost must also undergo quality testing. We recognise that for a small community scheme the costs of either a Paragraph 7 exemption or obtain PAS 100 accreditation may prohibit the scheme getting underway and may be disproportionate to the potential environmental risk posed by such scheme.
6. SEPA in partnership with The Composting Association: Scotland, have completed a study into the quality of compost made at community compost sites which are not accredited under the PAS 100 standard. Once published, the results of these tests will help us decide whether changes can be introduced, which can maximise the potential of community composting schemes, whilst still retaining appropriate regulatory controls when required.
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