Scope
The loaded rows cover CE-marked EU fertilising products in PFC 1(A), PFC 1(B), PFC 1(C)(I), PFC 2, PFC 3(A), PFC 3(B), PFC 4, and PFC 6 where Annex I gives contaminant limits in mg/kg dry matter.
Exact limit and units
| Metal | Matrix | Limit | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cadmium (Cd) | PFC 1(A) organic fertiliser | 1.5 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) | PFC 1(A) organic fertiliser | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total mercury (tHg) | PFC 1(A) organic fertiliser | 1 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| nickel (Ni) | PFC 1(A) organic fertiliser | 50 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| lead (Pb) | PFC 1(A) organic fertiliser | 120 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| inorganic arsenic (iAs) | PFC 1(A) organic fertiliser | 40 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| cadmium (Cd) | PFC 1(B) organo-mineral fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 3 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) | PFC 1(B) organo-mineral fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total mercury (tHg) | PFC 1(B) organo-mineral fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 1 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| nickel (Ni) | PFC 1(B) organo-mineral fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 50 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| lead (Pb) | PFC 1(B) organo-mineral fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 120 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| inorganic arsenic (iAs) | PFC 1(B) organo-mineral fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 40 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| cadmium (Cd) | PFC 1(C)(I) inorganic macronutrient fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 3 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) | PFC 1(C)(I) inorganic macronutrient fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total mercury (tHg) | PFC 1(C)(I) inorganic macronutrient fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 1 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| nickel (Ni) | PFC 1(C)(I) inorganic macronutrient fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 100 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| lead (Pb) | PFC 1(C)(I) inorganic macronutrient fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 120 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total arsenic (tAs) | PFC 1(C)(I) inorganic macronutrient fertiliser with total phosphorus below 5% P2O5-equivalent | 40 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| cadmium (Cd) | PFC 2 liming material | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) | PFC 2 liming material | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total mercury (tHg) | PFC 2 liming material | 1 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| nickel (Ni) | PFC 2 liming material | 90 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| lead (Pb) | PFC 2 liming material | 120 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total arsenic (tAs) | PFC 2 liming material | 40 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| cadmium (Cd) | PFC 3(A) organic soil improver | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) | PFC 3(A) organic soil improver | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total mercury (tHg) | PFC 3(A) organic soil improver | 1 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| nickel (Ni) | PFC 3(A) organic soil improver | 50 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| lead (Pb) | PFC 3(A) organic soil improver | 120 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| inorganic arsenic (iAs) | PFC 3(A) organic soil improver | 40 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| cadmium (Cd) | PFC 3(B) inorganic soil improver | 1.5 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) | PFC 3(B) inorganic soil improver | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total mercury (tHg) | PFC 3(B) inorganic soil improver | 1 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| nickel (Ni) | PFC 3(B) inorganic soil improver | 100 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| lead (Pb) | PFC 3(B) inorganic soil improver | 120 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| inorganic arsenic (iAs) | PFC 3(B) inorganic soil improver | 40 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| cadmium (Cd) | PFC 4 growing medium | 1.5 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) | PFC 4 growing medium | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total mercury (tHg) | PFC 4 growing medium | 1 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| nickel (Ni) | PFC 4 growing medium | 50 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| lead (Pb) | PFC 4 growing medium | 120 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| inorganic arsenic (iAs) | PFC 4 growing medium | 40 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| cadmium (Cd) | PFC 6 plant biostimulant | 1.5 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) | PFC 6 plant biostimulant | 2 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| total mercury (tHg) | PFC 6 plant biostimulant | 1 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| nickel (Ni) | PFC 6 plant biostimulant | 50 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| lead (Pb) | PFC 6 plant biostimulant | 120 | mg/kg | dry matter |
| inorganic arsenic (iAs) | PFC 6 plant biostimulant | 40 | mg/kg | dry matter |
How tested
Annex I sets product-function-category contaminant ceilings. Conformity is handled through the regulation’s conformity-assessment framework; the rows preserve the Annex I species and dry-matter basis.
Enforcement posture
The regulation is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all EU Member States for EU fertilising products made available with CE marking.
History of changes
Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 was adopted on 5 June 2019. The local copy is a consolidated EUR-Lex text marked 30 December 2025.
How it compares
Most loaded categories use the same 2 mg/kg dry-matter chromium (Cr) VI, 1 mg/kg dry-matter mercury (Hg), 120 mg/kg dry-matter lead (Pb), and 40 mg/kg dry-matter arsenic ceiling, while cadmium and nickel vary by product function category. Organic and organo-mineral categories specify inorganic arsenic; inorganic macronutrient and liming categories state arsenic without inorganic speciation and are loaded as total arsenic.
Sources
Update history
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