What is PAS 115:2021 about?
Eroded soil can be deposited in water courses and on roads and other infrastructure, leading to a loss of agricultural soils to landfill. PAS 115:2021 sets out how to treat road sweepings and inert gully waste so it can generate soil and soil amendments and keep materials out of landfill.
Who is PAS 115:2021 for?
- Waste recycling/management companies
- Street cleaning companies
- Product-sorting companies
- Local and highways authorities
- Landscape architects and landscape contractors
- Trommel manufacturers
- Government and governmental agencies (e.g. Defra, Environment Agency)
- Recycling campaigns
- Related trade associations and professional bodies
What does PAS 115:2021 cover?
It specifies requirements for the generation of soils and soil amendments through treatment of road sweepings and inert gully waste. It covers requirements for the sorting of material type, size, and quality, including levels of fertility, for the purpose of future use as soils.
It defines requirements for a Quality Management System (QMS) for the generation of soils and soil amendments. It also requires a Safety and Quality Control System, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) assessment, which the user considers takes into account when developing, implementing and reviewing the QMS.
PAS 115:2021 also adopts a process of Hazard Assessment for the types of pollutant that can beis encountered in road gully and road sweepings. The PAS process defines CCP to maximize the possibility that the levels of the specified pollutants if used as the sole component for a soil, present no significant risk linked to the specified pollutants on the types of plants or users of the land in which they are grown.
Why should you use PAS 115:2021?
- It can enable the recycling and reuse of soil, reducing the amount of material going to landfill and the demand for virgin materials. Such soils can, for instance, support street trees, helping meet street tree planting programmes
- It contributes to managing soil sustainably and in line with government policy and strategies including Safeguarding Our Soils; Biodiversity 2020; and the 25 Year Environment Plan
- It can help demonstrate to stakeholders that road and gully soil is being optimally recovered
- It can help users develop their expertise and enter new markets
- It can improve recycling efficiency and risk management
