Free Compost Sampling Videos and Reference Guide Available

To help deal with the issue of getting good samples for testing, CREF created two videos demonstrating the steps that should be taken in order to send compost samples to a lab for analysis. Both of these videos are available on the CREF website for free: https://www.compostfoundation.org/Education/Sampling-Videos.

The videos were created as a guide to help with the sampling process. The accuracy of the laboratory analysis depends almost entirely on the quality of the sample submitted, and, particularly, how representative the sample is of a typical batch (up to 5000 cubic yards). Knowledge on how to properly take samples, and handle the preparation of the sample for analysis, is crucial to getting a reliable analysis, which is the basis for whether and how the compost will be used. The goal of the videos is to be a visual guide that can be used as a continual reference for current and future employees. Also available on the CREF website is the Sampling Reference Guide, which is downloadable and can serve as a reference for facility employees while in the field.