§ 130A-309.11.  Compost standards and applications.

(a) In order to protect the State's land and water resources, compost produced, utilized, or disposed of by the composting process at solid waste management facilities in the State must meet criteria established by the Department.

(b) The Commission shall adopt rules to establish standards for the production of compost.  Rules shall be adopted not later than 24 months after the initiation of rule making. Such rules shall include:

(1) Requirements necessary to produce hygienically safe compost products for varying applications.

(2) A classification scheme for compost based on:

a. The types of waste composted, including at least one type containing only yard trash;

b. The maturity of the compost, including at least three degrees of decomposition for fresh, semi-mature, and mature; and

c. The levels of organic and inorganic constituents in the compost.

(c) The compost classification scheme shall address:

(1) Methods for measurement of the compost maturity.

(2) Particle sizes.

(3) Moisture content.

(4) Average levels of organic and inorganic constituents, including heavy metals, for such classes of compost as the Department establishes, and the analytical methods to determine those levels.

(d) The Commission shall adopt rules to prescribe the allowable uses and application rates of compost.  Rules shall be adopted not later than 24 months after the initiation of rule making.  Such rules shall be based on the following criteria:

(1) The total quantity of organic and inorganic constituents, including heavy metals, allowed to be applied through the addition of compost to the soil per acre per year.

(2) The allowable uses of compost based on maturity and type of compost.

(e) If compost is produced which does not meet the criteria prescribed by the Department for agricultural and other use, the compost must be reprocessed or disposed of in a manner approved by the Department, unless a different application is specifically permitted by the Department. (1989, c. 784, s. 2; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 594, s. 18.)