Nearly 70,000 m3 of compost currently being used in growing media manufacture
Production of high-quality compost set to increase fourfold in two to three years
Increased production could supply a third of retail growing media production in England
A report published by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) has mapped UK compost production together with growing media manufacture for the first time and highlighted the potential of the growing media market as a high-value application for composted products.

Around 68,000 m3 of composted products are currently sold to growing media manufacturers in the UK and this is set to expand rapidly in the next few years. The report estimates that the UK compost industry will be producing 275,000 m3 of composted products of the right quality for the growing media market in two to three years. This represents a four-fold increase in production levels and sufficient capacity to supply 30% of retail growing media products currently manufactured in England.

This rapid expansion will be achieved through both increased capacity of existing facilities and the introduction of new facilities. WRAP's recently-announced competition for capital investment to support composting and added-value product manufacturing facilities will aid this expansion.

The WRAP report concludes that the geographical distribution of the two industries is a key issue that needs to be addressed to ensure that the incorporation of higher levels of composted products in growing media is economically viable.

"This report has highlighted the opportunity provided by the co-location of composting and growing media production facilities. By providing information and contact details of organisations in both industries, this work will enable the compost production industry and the growing media manufacturing sector to work more closely together to plan their future investment in terms of both supply and production," explains Liz Morrish, WRAP Materials Support Officer.