On 17 Dec 2019, the State Administration of Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration Commission jointly issued the mandatory national standard, “GB 38400-2019 Limitation Requirements of Toxic and Harmful Substance in Fertilizers”, which will take effect on 1 Jul 2020.
7 harmful substances will be compulsorily tested for all types of commercialized fertilizers and 2 microbial tests will be additionally required for organic/microbial fertilizers. Fertilizers using solid wastes will subject to additional test/limitative requirements such as Benzopyrene, Phthalates(PAEs)and Trichloroaldehyde.
Hazardous Substances/Microbial indicators Compulsorily Tested | |||
| Substance/Microbial Indicator | inorganic Fertilizer(≤) | Other Fertilizer |
1 | Total Cadmium (≤, mg/kg) | 10 | 3 |
2 | Total Mercury (≤, mg/kg) | 5 | 2 |
3 | Total Arsenic (≤, mg/kg) | 50 | 15 |
4 | Total Lead (≤, mg/kg) | 200 | 50 |
5 | Total Chromium (≤, mg/kg) | 500 | 150 |
6 | Total Thallium (≤, mg/kg) | 2.5 | 2.5 |
7 | Biuret (≤, mg/kg) | 1.5 | 1.5 |
8 | Mortality of ascarid egg (≤, %) | / | 95 |
9 | number of fecal coliforms(≤, CFU) | / | 100 |
Hazardous Substances Required for Fertilizers Made from Solid Wastes | |||
1 | Total Nickel (≤, mg/kg) | 600 | |
2 | Total Cobalt (≤, mg/kg) | 100 | |
3 | Total Vanandium (≤, mg/kg) | 325 | |
4 | Total Stibonium (≤, mg/kg) | 25 | |
5 | Benzopyrene (≤, mg/kg) | 0.55 | |
6 | Total petroleum hydrocarbons (%) | 0.25 | |
7 | Phthalates (≤, mg/kg) | 25 | |
8 | Trichloroaldehyde | 5.0 | / |
Additionally, commercially fertilizer not yet developed with national standard or industrial standard need to complete the terrestrial plant growth test prior to the placing on the market.
