STA Certified Compost

Requirements for Compost Manufacturers

Specifics may be found in the full STA Certified Compost Rules

1)     Meet the US Composting Council’s definition of compost.

2)     Stay in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations and permitting to which the STA Certified Compost product(s) is(are) subject.  Immediately inform the US Composting Council if an issue arises.

3)     Use STA Certified Compost approved labs for testing.  These labs use TMECC test methods and are held to high standards through the STA’s CAP program that tests the labs against each other.

4)     Test STA Certified Compost product(s) according to the frequency determined by the annual wet tonnage finished compost manufactured.  Manufacturer and US Composting Council both receive the test results directly from the labs.

5)     Provide customers with STA Compost Technical Data Sheets (CTDS) including feedstocks and instructions for use.

6)     Meet the EPA testing limits for heavy metals and pathogens in every CTDS for every STA Certified Compost product.

7)     Compost manufacturers sign the STA Certified Compost rules contract through the online form.

8)     Compost manufacturers pay US Composting Council yearly fees for managing the STA Certified Compost program.

9)     Renew contract and payments yearly for each product.

** Please note-

Separate compost products are defined as being any one of the below:

• Created at separate facilities.  Material created at different facilities, all with the same name, is not just one product.  They should be registered as multiple products, one per facility.
  
• Created with different feedstocks.  If you use the same feedstocks, in the same ratios, at the same facility, that should be registered as one product.  Even if only one feedstock is different, that should be registered as a separate product.  

Derivative products are defined as being STA Certified™ Compost products that are derived from an STA Certified™ "Parent" Compost that is changed in any of the ways below:

• Alternate Named Product - The product is the same, but the Participant wants to sell under a different name. (No additional testing)
• Alternate Sized Product - The product is the same, but the sieve (screen) size has changed. Coarse derivative products are acceptable, but the originating compost product must be composted enough to match our definition of compost. (Additional testing required)
• Blended Product - Must contain at least 20% of STA Certified™ Compost or the blend cannot be considered as an STA Certified™ Blended Product. Can be blended with other substrates like sand, mulch, potting soil, topsoil and bark. May not contain non-STA Certified™ Compost (Additional testing may be required based on end use)

*Please note that additional testing and/or CTDS may be required depending on the specifications set forth by the authorizing agency or end user.

Un-Composted Mulch cannot be registered.  A registered compost may be screened to create coarse mulch-like material as a derivative product, but it must match our definition of compost prior to screening.

Interested in joining the highly respected group of STA Certified Compost participants? Contact us here to learn more.