Product quality

At Deerdykes Composting and Organics Recycling Facility we know rigorous process controls are the only way to ensure consistent product quality.

Each batch of our compost has its own record of data, and each stage of the composting process, from input materials to storage, is fully traceable.

The British Standard Institution's Publicly Available Specification for Composting Materials: BSI PAS 100 is the quality assurance standard for compost.

Pod has achieved The Composting Association's accrediation BSI PAS 100, which certifies that we are operating a quality-assured process, creating products that are reliable, safe, effective and represent a suitable alternative to peat.

Typical product specification for Pod

Parameter	Results	Units
Particle size grade	0 - 20	mm
Bulk density	509	g/l
Dry Matter	55.9	%
Moisture	44.1	%
Organic matter	32.9	%
pH	7.6
Electrical conductivity	609	µS/cm
Total Nutrients	Results	Units
Nitrogen	1.47	% in dry matter
Phosphorous (phosphate)	0.24 (0.55)	% in dry matter
Potassium (potash)	0.78 (0.9)	% in dry matter
Water Soluble Nutrients	Results	Units
Ammonium-nitrogen	26	mg/l
Nitrate-nitrogen	142	mg/l
Phosphorus (phosphate)	17	mg/l
Potassium (potash)	1127	mg/l

Compost testing has been carried out according to methods specified in PAS 100 and by laboratories approved by The Composting Association.

Information sufficient for most users is supplied in the table above, as determined at the time of manufacture. More details can be obtained upon request.

Ready Reckoner - cubic metres of Pod required per 100m²

		Available nutrients applied g/m²
Depth	Volume	Nitrogen	Phosphate	Potash
5mm layer	0.5m³	4	8	12
10mm layer	1.0m³	8	16	24
25mm layer	2.5m³	20	40	60
50mm layer	5.0m³	40	80	120
75mm layer	7.5m³	60	120	180

The benefits of accredited compost include:

Consistency
By assessing our feedstocks and managing our process, we can monitor the composting process every step of the way. The end result is a product you can trust.

Traceability
We can trace our compost right back to the input material used to make it. In this way potential problems can be flagged up and avoided.

Maximum performance
Our compost improves soil composition, aids moisture retention and boosts plant growth.

Environmentally sound
Using our compost reduces the need for artificial nutrients to be added to the soil. Because it's peat-free, it's far more environmentally sustainable than other products.

We maintain strict control over the following areas:

Assessment of input materials
Storage and preparation of input materials (shredding, mixing, C:N ratio, moisture)
Composting (temperature achieved, duration, moisture)
Sampling and analysis

We regularly check the final product to ensure it meets the demands of the BSI PAS100 accreditation and any additional customer requirements. This also verifies completion of the sanitisation and stabilisation phases.

Any batch of compost that fails to meet these requirements is identified, isolated from other batches and either disposed of or reprocessed.

Pod product

Delivery of our product

Delivery
Following screening, the final product is stored, as necessary, before export.

The product is currently delivered to our customers in bulk. Scottish Water has aspirations to bag our product to meet end-users' requirements and to allow for a more widespread distribution.

To discuss the price, availability and delivery of Pod, please call Kristine Leitch on 01236 875415 or email us at compost@scottishwaterhorizons.co.uk.

Where next?

Compost applications - Pod has a great number of uses... find out more

Building for the future – meeting targets to reduce peat by 90% in all growing media by 2010... find out more

A keen eye for quality – a rigorous process to ensure ingredients are suitable for composting... find out more

Getting back to nature – the three treatment stages needed to produce a really stable compost... find out more

Sanitisation and stabilisation - monitoring the composting process at every stage... find out more