European Economic Area
European Economic Area
Northern Ireland
EU Tightens Biodegradability Standards For Coating Agents And Water Retention Polymers In Fertilisers
Regulation 2024/2770 sets soil and aquatic biodegradability criteria for covered coating agents and water-retention polymers. Relevant requirements apply from 17 October 2028. Buffer labelling follows national rules, with a three-metre minimum where those rules are absent.
Published in November 2024. Dates, deadlines and stages may have changed since.
Dr Steven Brennan
1 min readAI-drafted, expert reviewed
Correction, 20 October 2026. The timing and water-buffer requirements have been clarified against the regulation.
Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2770 amends the EU Fertilising Products Regulation with biodegradability criteria for coating agents and water-retention polymers. The relevant biodegradability requirements and associated labelling apply from 17 October 2028.
Soil And Water Criteria
The soil criterion permits at least 90% ultimate degradation relative to a reference material, or at least 90% mineralisation measured as evolved carbon dioxide, within 48 months plus the labelled functionality period.
Aquatic testing covers fresh, estuarine or marine water. The required relative degradation after 12 months ranges from 43.8% for a zero functionality period to 25% for a functionality period of at least six months. These are test criteria, not a finding that every product leaves no environmental risk.
Labelling Near Surface Water
Covered products must carry instructions against use near surface-water bodies. Buffer strips follow national fertiliser-use requirements; where such rules are absent, the label must specify a minimum three-metre buffer.
The regulation separately recognises polymers formed naturally and not chemically modified. The requirements concern the specified component-material category in EU fertilising products, rather than every polymer used in agriculture.
Official source
eur-lex.europa.euTopics
Questions about this change
What biodegradability criterion does Regulation (EU) 2024/2770 set for covered fertiliser polymers?
For covered fertiliser polymers, Regulation (EU) 2024/2770 permits at least 90% ultimate degradation relative to a reference material, or at least 90% mineralisation, within 48 months plus the labelled functionality period. Separate aquatic criteria also apply.
What water-body buffer labelling does Regulation (EU) 2024/2770 require for covered fertilisers?
The regulation requires instructions against use near surface-water bodies and buffer strips following national fertiliser-use rules. Where those national rules are absent, the label must specify a buffer of at least three metres.
Dr Steven Brennan
CEO and co-founder of Foresight, and a co-opted member of ECHA's Committee for Socio-economic Analysis. He holds a PhD in chemical engineering.
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European Economic Area
EU Adopts New Biodegradability Criteria For EU Fertilising Products
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