ABSTRACT
Marketing plays a critical role in determining the feasibility of a program designed to recover resources from urban wastes. Compost has the potential to be used as a soil amendment for many different applications. When incorporated into the soil, compost increases the organic content of the soil and can improve its texture, nutrient content, and water retention and aeration capacities. The reluctance of field crop agriculture to use compost has been aggravated by the unavailability of a product having a consistent quality. Marketing studies conducted throughout the US have identified quality and consistency of the product as key elements in the utility and marketability of the products. The establishment of a formal set of standards and specifications for monitoring the quality of compost is gaining momentum in the US Standards were first introduced in the late 1970s due to a growing interest in composting sewage sludge and were intended primarily to protect public health and safety.
