Leveling The Playing Field: How Quality Control and Testing Ensure Fair Competition

February 1, 2025

The Mulch & Soil Council (MSC) sponsors annual meetings where connections can lead to opportunities. That mission took on a new significance in 1996 when the mulch and soil industry faced difficulties concerning the truthfulness of weight labels. 

“There was a lot of short packing going on,” Bob LaGasse, the MSC executive director, explained. “It's a commodity market. If you add a penny to a bag, you can lose a contract.” 

The MSC approached the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to run an audit of the industry. Over the course of three weeks, NIST traveled to 15 states and inspected thousands of products for short packing, finding 80% of the inspections failed.  

To address the problem, the partners developed a training program that included guidance on bag-filling technique, package testing, measuring and more. For two years, they trained the industry on these procedures. In 1998, the MSC went back to NIST and asked to be checked again. This time, 20% failed. 

“None of the 20% were members,” LaGasse said. “So that was kind of the first true demonstration that working together, we could solve a problem.” 

Once mulch colorants were introduced, they were blamed for a contaminant found in the marketplace: a pesticide called chromated copper arsenate. Further testing by the MSC revealed the colorants were safe. The real issue stemmed from the mulch that was being colorized, but no one had tested for that. 

This lack of regulation became the driving force in the development of the MSC Product Certification Program. Launched in 2003, the program helps consumers, retailers, regulators and others identify products that conform to the Voluntary Uniform Product Guidelines. Products that pass the review and comply with the continual audit testing earn the badge of MSC certification logo for their packaging. 

“That's why the certification program is there to assure consumers this thing meets standards,” LaGasse said. “This is a company that's willing to have its product inspected and it's going to conform to standards.”