ISO 18642-2016 PDF

Full title and description

Fertilizer and soil conditioners — Fertilizer grade urea — General requirements. This International Standard specifies general requirements covering testing methods, sampling and preparation of test samples, marking and labelling, packaging, transport and storage for fertilizer-grade urea in solid forms (for example granular, prilled or pastilled).

Abstract

ISO 18642:2016 sets out the basic, non-prescriptive requirements that support consistent quality and safe handling of fertilizer-grade urea intended for agricultural use. It addresses testing and sampling procedures, product marking and labelling, and requirements for packaging, transport and storage; it applies to urea produced by the reaction of ammonia with carbon dioxide in solid forms used as fertilizer.

General information

• Status: Published (confirmed).
• Publication date: July 2016 (publication completed 7 July 2016).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 65.080 (Fertilizers).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2016).
• Number of pages: 5.

Scope

Applies to fertilizer-grade urea in solid form (e.g. granular, prilled, pastilled) produced from ammonia and carbon dioxide and intended for agricultural use. The standard is limited to general requirements for sampling, test methods, labelling/marking, packaging, transport and storage; it does not prescribe detailed implementation methods for detection, production processes or site-specific handling procedures.

Key topics and requirements

• Sampling and preparation of test samples to ensure representative laboratory analysis.
• General testing considerations and reference to appropriate test methods for quality attributes (e.g., moisture, biuret and nitrogen-related parameters as relevant to urea quality control).
• Requirements for marking and labelling to identify product grade and safe handling information.
• Packaging, transport and storage guidance to protect physical and chemical quality during distribution and storage.
• Applicability limited to fertilizer-grade urea for agricultural use (solid forms).

Typical use and users

Used by fertilizer manufacturers, quality-control and testing laboratories, distributors, storage and logistics providers, agricultural advisors and national regulators to establish consistent minimum requirements for fertilizer-grade urea handling, labelling and sampling for trade and compliance. The standard supports quality assurance across production, distribution and application chains.

Related standards

ISO 18642 is part of the ISO/TC 134 suite of fertilizer and soil-conditioner standards. Relevant related documents include ISO 17323:2015 (Sulfur Coated Urea — general requirements), ISO 19746:2017 (Determination of urea content by HPLC) and ISO 15604:2016 (Determination of different forms of nitrogen in the same sample). Historical/analytical standards for urea and nitrogen determination (for example ISO 8603 and others) may also be relevant when selecting test methods.

Keywords

fertilizer grade urea; urea fertilizer; sampling; test methods; marking; labelling; packaging; transport; storage; ISO/TC 134; 65.080.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 18642:2016 is an International Standard that defines general requirements for fertilizer-grade urea (solid forms) covering sampling, testing-related provisions, labelling/marking, packaging, transport and storage.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers high-level, non-prescriptive requirements to ensure representative sampling, appropriate preparation of test samples, minimum expectations for marking and labelling, and guidance for packaging, transport and storage of fertilizer-grade urea used in agriculture.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Fertilizer producers, quality-control laboratories, distributors, logistics and storage operators, agricultural advisers and regulators use the standard to align product handling, testing and labelling practices for fertilizer-grade urea.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2016 edition (Edition 1) is published and was confirmed in ISO’s systematic review process (confirmed in 2022), so the 2016 text remains the current version.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It belongs to the family of fertilizer and soil-conditioner standards developed by ISO/TC 134; several companion standards address coated urea, analytical methods for urea and nitrogen determinations, and other fertilizer product types.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: fertilizer grade urea; urea; sampling; testing; marking; packaging; transport; storage; fertilizer standards; ISO/TC 134.