EN 15238:2022

Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of quantity for materials with particle size greater than 60 mm

This document specifies a method for the determination of quantity of soil improvers and growing media in bulk and in packages. This method is designed with an appropriate precision level so that it can be used to validate any quantity determination made.
This document is applicable to material in any form, reconstituted if necessary, but not to plugs, blocks and slabs sold as such by dimension; for these, see EN 15761.
This document applies to material that is in solid form, but not in block form to be sold by dimension, and which exceeds the particle size restriction in EN 12580 and where the declared nominal particle size is greater than 60 mm.

Bodenverbesserungsmittel und Kultursubstrate - Bestimmung der Menge für Materialien mit einer Partikelgröße über 60 mm

Dieses Dokument legt ein Verfahren für die Bestimmung der Menge von Bodenverbesserungsmitteln und Kultursubstraten bei Lieferung in loser Form und in Packungen fest. Dieses Verfahren wurde mit einem geeigneten Präzisionsniveau gestaltet, damit es zur Validierung von Mengenbestimmungen verwendet werden kann.
Dieses Dokument ist für Material in jeglicher Form, das erforderlichenfalls rekonstituiert ist, anzuwenden, jedoch nicht für Plugs, Blöcke und Platten, die als solche nach Maß verkauft werden, hierfür siehe EN 15761.
Dieses Dokument ist für Material in fester Form anzuwenden, jedoch nicht für Blöcke, die nach Maß verkauft werden, sondern für Material, das die Teilchengrößenbeschränkung überschreitet, die für das in EN 12580 beschriebene Verfahren zutrifft bzw. für Teilchen mit einer Nenngröße über 60 mm.

Amendements du sol et supports de culture - Détermination de la quantité pour les matériaux de granulométrie supérieure à 60 mm

Le présent document spécifie une méthode de détermination de la quantité de support de culture ou d’amendement organique en vrac comme en emballage conditionné. Cette méthode est conçue avec un niveau de fidélité approprié, de sorte à pouvoir être utilisée pour valider n’importe quelle détermination de quantité.
Le présent document concerne les matériaux sous n’importe quelle forme, éventuellement reconstitués, mais pas les produits sous forme de plaques, de blocs ou de dalles vendus en fonction de leurs dimensions (pour ces derniers, voir l’EN 15761).
Le présent document s’applique aux matériaux sous forme solide, mais pas les produits sous forme de blocs vendus en fonction de leurs dimensions, qui dépassent les restrictions de granulométrie imposées dans l’EN 12580 et dont la granulométrie nominale déclarée est supérieure à 60 mm.

Izboljševalci tal in rastni substrati - Določanje količine za materiale z velikostjo delcev, večjo od 60 mm

Ta evropski standard določa metodo za določevanje količine izboljševalcev tal, razen materialov za apnenje in rastnih substratov v razsutem in zapakiranem stanju. Ta dokument se uporablja za material v trdni obliki, vendar ne v obliki blokov, ki se prodaja po dimenzijah, in ki presega omejitev velikosti delcev v standardu EN 12580 ter kjer je deklarirana nazivna velikost delcev večja od 60 mm.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 08-Nov-2022
• ICS: 65.080 - Fertilizers
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 223 - Soil improvers and growing media
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 223/WG 3 - Sampling
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 09-Nov-2022
• Due Date: 31-Jan-2023
• Completion Date: 09-Nov-2022
• Directive: 2019/1009 - Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 laying down rules on the making available on the market of EU fertilising products and amending Regulations (EC) No 1069/2009 and (EC) No 1107/2009 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003
• Mandate: M/564 - Fertilising products in support of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009
• Mandate: M/XXX - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of XXX on a standardisation request to the European Committee for Standardization, to the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization and to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute as regards certain measuring instruments in support of Directive 2014/32/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Ref Project: SIST EN 15238:2023 - Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of quantity for materials with particle size greater than 60 mm

Relations

• Replaces: EN 15238:2006/AC:2009 - Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of quantity for materials with particle size greater than 60 mm
• Effective Date: 16-Nov-2022
• Replaces: EN 15238:2006 - Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of quantity for materials with particle size greater than 60 mm
• Effective Date: 16-Nov-2022

Overview

EN 15238:2022 is a CEN standard titled "Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of quantity for materials with particle size greater than 60 mm." It specifies a validated method for determining the quantity (volume or mass) of bulk or packaged soil improvers and growing media when the declared nominal particle size exceeds 60 mm. The method is designed to provide appropriate precision so it can be used to verify commercial quantity declarations.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and applicability
  • Applies to solid-form soil improvers and growing media (reconstituted if necessary) with particle size > 60 mm.
  • Not applicable to plugs, blocks or slabs sold by dimension (see EN 15761).
• Measurement principle
  • Volume is calculated from the net mass and the product bulk density; mass-declared consignments must include moisture content so dry matter can be derived.
• Sampling
  • Sampling follows EN 12579 with special provisions: a final sample of at least 70 L is required for bulk density determination; packaged material must supply contents totaling at least 70 L.
• Apparatus and calibration
  • Uses a rigid 50 L ± 1 L measuring cylinder (height:diameter ratio 0.95:1 to 1:1), calibrated to 20 °C and determined to the nearest 20 ml (uncertainty k=2 ≤ 100 ml).
  • Auxiliary equipment: collar, fall controller (≈100 mm mesh), tripod/fixture, weighing instrument conforming to EN 45501, straight edge and shovel/scoop.
  • Calibration procedure for measuring cylinder uses water mass and temperature correction factors; material thermal expansion of the cylinder is considered.
• Bulk density and weighing
  • Procedure defines gross/tare/net weighing, assembly and filling of the measuring cylinder, and handling to account for compressibility of materials.
• Precision and reporting
  • The standard includes precision data (interlaboratory trial results) and specifies required elements of the test report.

Practical applications and users

EN 15238:2022 is primarily used by:

• Manufacturers and suppliers of soil improvers and growing media to verify declared volumes and weights for trade compliance.
• Testing laboratories and QA/QC teams performing validated bulk density and quantity checks.
• Traders, distributors and certification bodies who need a standardized method to validate delivered quantities.
• Regulators and enforcement agencies overseeing fair trade and labeling accuracy.

This standard is useful where large particle sizes (>60 mm) may affect bulk density and volume, e.g., woody composts, bulky recycled organic amendments, and coarse growing media mixes.

Related standards

• CEN/TS 17732:2022 (Terminology)
• EN 12579:2013 (Sampling)
• EN 13040 (Sample preparation, moisture content)
• EN 45501:2015 (Weighing instruments)
• EN 15761 (plugs/blocks sold by dimension)

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-marec-2023
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 15238:2007
SIST EN 15238:2007/AC:2009
Izboljševalci tal in rastni substrati - Določanje količine za materiale z velikostjo
delcev, večjo od 60 mm
Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of quantity for materials with particle
size greater than 60 mm
Bodenverbesserungsmittel und Kultursubstrate - Bestimmung der Menge für Materialien
mit einer Partikelgröße über 60 mm
Amendements du sol et supports de culture - Détermination de la quantité pour les
matériaux de granulométrie supérieure à 60 mm
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 15238:2022
ICS:
65.080 Gnojila Fertilizers
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 15238
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
November 2022
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 65.080 Supersedes EN 15238:2006
English Version
Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of
quantity for materials with particle size greater than 60
mm
Amendements du sol et supports de culture - Bodenverbesserungsmittel und Kultursubstrate -
Détermination de la quantité pour les matériaux de Bestimmung der Menge für Materialien mit einer
granulométrie supérieure à 60 mm Partikelgröße über 60 mm
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 5 July 2022.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2022 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 15238:2022 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Principle . 6
5 Apparatus . 6
6 Calibration of the measuring cylinder . 7
7 Sampling . 9
8 Determination of bulk density . 9
9 Calculation and expression of results. 12
10 Determination of quantity by weight . 12
11 Precision . 13
12 Test report . 13
Annex A (informative) Results of an interlaboratory trial to determine bulk density. 14
Bibliography. 15
European foreword
This document (EN 15238:2022) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 223 “Soil
improvers and growing media”, the secretariat of which is held by NEN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2023 and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by May 2023.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN 15238:2006.
In comparison with the previous edition, the following technical modifications have been made:
— the text has been editorially revised, no technical changes to the described method have been made;
— references in Clause 2 and the Bibliography have been updated;
— the terms and definitions have been aligned with CEN/TS 17732:2022;
— the figure has been replaced by two other figures with an example of the apparatus.
This document has been prepared under a Standardization Request given to CEN by the European
Commission and the European Free Trade Association.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United
Kingdom.
Introduction
Soil improvers and growing media are generally traded by volume as the weight of the product can be
greatly affected by the moisture content.
NOTE In this document, mass and weight are used interchangeably with the same meaning.
It is important for both consumers and traders to know the volume of product being traded. Furthermore,
for the cultivation of plants, it is the volume of the product, and not the weight, that is generally important.
The volume is calculated from knowing the weight and bulk density of the product, the latter being
determined from weighing a known reference volume of product. As some soil improvers and growing
media are compressible it is important that this aspect be addressed in the method of determining the
bulk density. A suitably competent person should undertake this testing.
For those materials traded by reference to its mass, this document recognizes the effects the moisture
content can have on the quantity declared. Therefore, for such transactions, any weight is accompanied
by the moisture content so that the solid matter content can be calculated.
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the determination of quantity of soil improvers and growing media
in bulk and in packages. This method is designed with an appropriate precision level so that it can be used
to validate any quantity determination made.
This document is applicable to material in any form, reconstituted if necessary, but not to plugs, blocks
and slabs sold as such by dimension; for these, see EN 15761.
This document applies to material that is in solid form, but not in block form to be sold by dimension, and
which exceeds the particle size restriction in EN 12580 and where the declared nominal particle size is
greater than 60 mm.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
CEN/TS 17732:2022, Soil improvers and growing media - Terminology
EN 12579:2013, Soil improvers and growing media - Sampling
EN 13040, Soil improvers and growing media - Sample preparation for chemical and physical tests,
determination of dry matter content, moisture content and laboratory compacted bulk density
EN 45501:2015, Metrological aspects of non-automatic weighing instruments
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in CEN/TS 17732:2022 and the
following apply.
3.1
batch
lot
quantity of goods manufactured by the same process under the same conditions, at the same time, and
labelled in the same manner and are assumed to have the same characteristics to be sampled using
a particular sampling plan
3.2
bulk material
material that is not packaged
3.3
container
receptacle or vessel in which material is delivered, including a lorry, ship, boat and packaging
3.4
ρ
b
bulk density
indication of how much 1 l of the product weighs, being determined in a standardized way
Note 1 to entry: The bulk density is expressed in grams per litre (g/l) or in kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m ).
Note 2 to entry: ‘Bulk density’ in this document refers to the apparent density in air (based on conventional mass)
and not the density in vacuum.
3.5
package
container and materials contained therein which are delivered and where the packaging remains with
the material after delivery
Note 1 to entry: A package may be a loose-filled sack, a big bale or a compressed block in packaging.
[SOURCE: CEN/TS 17732:2022, 3.1.5, modified – Replaced “container” with “packaging”.]
3.6
quantity
out-turn volume or mass being determined in a standardized way
4 Principle
4.1 For each batch of material, whether for delivery in bulk or in packages, the quantity of material is
determined and declared either by volume or by weight.
4.2 Where the quantity is declared by volume then the material is weighed and then sampled and its
bulk density determined. From this information the volume is calculated (see Clauses 6 to 11).
4.3 Where the quantity is declared by weight then the moisture content is also determined so that the
dry matter weight can be determined and declared (see Clause 12).
NOTE The structure of the material can change with time and handling and this can affect the volume of the
material.
5 Apparatus
5.1 Measuring cylinder, rigid, 50 l ± 1 l with a height to diameter ratio between 0,95:1 and 1:1,
calibrated in accordance with Clause 6. The volume, V , shall be determined to the nearest 20 ml at 20 °C,
with an uncertainty of measurement (k = 2) of no more than 100 ml.
NOTE 1 Information about the measurement and expression of uncertainty is given in the OIML Guide (G1) to
the expression of uncertainty in measurement, (sometimes referred to as GUM) [5].
NOTE 2 A 400 mm internal diameter pipe of height 398 mm with an end cap might be suitable.
NOTE 3 For easy and safe handling of the filled measuring cylinder, lifting and emptying handles are advisable.
For health and safety reasons, the filled measuring cylinder might require two persons to lift it.
5.2 Collar, rigid, of the same diameter as the measuring cylinder (5.1) and with a height of
75 mm ± 5 mm. Equipped with locating lugs to enable it to sit on the measuring cylinder correctly.
5.3 Fall controller, 100 mm ± 5 mm mesh size, held no more than 50 mm above the collar.
The fall controller shall be separated from the mea
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