To predict organic wastes (OW) amending capacity and its behaviour in soils it is necessary to study the organic fraction quality (OFQ), this information can not be obtained from the total organic fraction content (OFC), usually expressed as total C or volatile solids. Actually, to express OW stability or compost maturity several parameters are in use. In working documents on land reuse for biowaste and sewage sludge , prepared by European Commission, different quality products are establish according their chemical content (heavy metals and or ganic compounds) and hygienisation conditions (removal of pathogen organisms), but these does not consider any specific parameter related to OFQ other than the Dynamic Respiration Index.. The aim of this paper is to discuss the results of several parameters obtained by simple and economic laboratory methods in order to determine OFQ and also to predict the long term evolution in soils when composted organic wastes are applied. Studied samples belong to several Spanish composting plants, which treated residues from different origin and using various composting system. OFQ of more than 500 compost samples has been analysed, a good relationship between different parameters and composting conditions is observed when results are compared. In addition, from values of several OFQ parameters possible OW behaviour in soil could be predicted.
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