Certifying Bodies carry out the assessment of Biogas plants applying for certification. Three organisations have been appointed by REAL to carry out this work:
All three organisations are appointed to provide certification to the PAS110 and the PAS100 standards and can certify plants in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. They are also in the process of gaining specific accreditation from UKAS (ISO/IEC 17065:2012) for the provision of certification services against the Biofertiliser Certification Scheme.
No other CB is permitted to carry out assessments under the Biofertiliser Certification Scheme. This is to ensure that only the highest quality service is provided by properly trained and prepared organisations providing credibility and trust in the Scheme.
Accreditation
REAL is working with UKAS to develop accredited certification for the Biofertiliser Certification Scheme (BCS). In the future this will mean that BCS certificates will be accredited.
UKAS
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service is the sole national accreditation body recognised by government to assess, against internationally agreed standards, organisations that provide certification, testing, and inspection and calibration services. Accreditation by UKAS demonstrates the competence, impartiality and performance capability of these evaluators. UKAS is a non-profit-distributing company, limited by guarantee, and operates under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government through the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills.