As in other European countries, Italy has also undertaken a voluntary certification programme for quality compost promoted by the Consortium of Italian Compostors (CIC).
The voluntary certification programme for quality compost includes a first stage which certifies the product and following that, the creation of a Quality Assurance System, for both the product and the process.
In 2001 CIC undertook a viability study coordinated by the Technical Committee of CIC. Thereafter a specific Quality Committee was established which drafted a series of rules to regulate the programme. These establish the frequency and types of product analyses required to achieve conformity with the Quality criteria laid down.
By the end of 2004 14 companies have signed up to the programme and the analysis and sampling programme has been initiated. The samples are analysed by the only laboratory certified in Italy for the European Ecolable Certification for Organic Soil Ammenders and Sub Strata. Nine of the 14 companies have achieved the criteria required to obtain the CIC Quality Compost certificate. They are:
- AMSA SpA of Milan for the compost produced at the plant at Muggiano;
- Azienda Agricola Allievi for the compost produced at the plant at Ferrera Erbognone;
- Berco SrL for the compost produced at the plant of Calcinate;
- Caviro ScrL, for the compost produced at the plant of Faenza;
- GESENU SpA for the compost produced at the plant of Pietramelina;
- SECIT SpA for the compost produced at the plant of Maccarese Rome;
- SESA SpA for the compost produced at the plant of Este;
- Siena Ambiente SpA for the compost produced at the plant of Cortine-Asciano;
- Tecnogarden Service SrL for the compost produced at the plant of Vimercate.
Each lot/bag of compost sold by these plants has the right to use the Quality Compost CIC label.By end 2004 the amount of compost certified represents 180,000 tonnes circa, about 20% of Italy's production.
The product certification scheme is managed by CIC which has the role of Certifier.Membership of the Certification scheme is voluntary and the concept of quality is based upon "acceptable risk". The standards used in the Rules are a useful instrument both for the producer of quality compost products as a way of monitoring the quality standards achieved; and for the consumer who can verify the quality of the compost used.

Rules for the Compost Certification by the CIC Technical download document here (in Italian) [1540 kb PDF]