New rules came into effect on Saturday last which aim to reduce the EU’s dependency on imported fertilisers and will regulate organic and waste-based fertilisers.

The Commission has said that fertilisers made from organic waste material could replace 30% of mined fertilisers and help to reach the targets set out in the Green Deal, which outlines a target to reduce artificial fertiliser use by 20% by 2050.

These new regulations have been put in place to help innovative fertilising products access the single market and encourage more investment in their production.

Products like plant bio-stimulants fall under these regulations. These products do not necessarily fertilise, but work to improve nutrient use efficiency and uptake.

The rules will open the single market to organic and waste-based fertilisers, define the conditions in which they can be marketed and address safety, quality and labelling requirements. These requirements will need to be met before the products can carry the CE mark.

The regulations will limit the values for toxic contaminants in fertiliser products to protect soil and reduce health and environmental risks.

As part of the new rules, the European Commission has issued a guidance document on the labelling of EU fertiliser products.