Key Aspects of Compost Quality Assurance

testing methods are not adequately recorded or reported, assuring the quality of the information generated—and thus, the quality of the compost produced—is impossible. Since sample collection, handling, storage, and shipping are generally conducted by facility personnel, a quality assurance program that addresses these steps must be developed by each facility. The key steps in developing such a program are discussed below. This fact sheet can not cover all the issues in detail. For example, although this fact sheet focuses on municipal solid waste (MSW) composts and heavy metal contamination, the issues raised are relevant both to other types of composts and to other measurable compost characteristics such as toxic organic chemicals and plant nutrients. Hopefully, however, the examples and references provided will serve to stimulate greater attention to the tasks required to assure that compost is a consistently high quality product.