Analytical Report - Fertilisers

Introduction

Fertilisers are controlled by one of two pieces of legislation. Firstly, The EC Fertilisers (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 which applies to those labelled as being an EU Fertiliser on the product labelling. These must be of a type of fertiliser listed in the regulations complying with the relevant compositional criteria for that type and placed on the market by a company within the EC. . All other fertilisers must comply with The Fertilsers Regulations 1991. The effect is that those labelled as EU Fertilisers have free trade movement across the EU. Other fertilisers do not enjoy this status and may be prevented from being sold in another member state if they do not comply with that state’s national controls.

Thirty three samples of fertilisers aimed at the domestic market, both solid and liquid, were submitted for analysis by the Agricultural Analyst at Kent Scientific Services. Testing was for accuracy of declared levels of primary nutrients i.e. nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and any secondary nutrients e.g. cadmium, magnesium. For example an “EC Fertiliser NPK 8-8-8” should contain 8% each of total nitrogen, phosphorus pentoxide and potassium oxides. The regulations specify limits of variation for these nutrients i.e. the tolerance between the amount of nutrient declared and that found. 

Summary of results

Three were reported as being deficient in a nutrient, two in potassium oxide and one in nitrogen. Fertilisers are generally produced from fairly homogeneous materials, so declarations should be accurate. Further enquiries will be made in relation to the adversely reported samples.

Despite this, the average contents were:-

This shows that, on average, manufacturers ensured that at least the content of nutrient declared was actually incorporated into their product.

Report date: September 2007