Specifications for compostable plastics

This International Standard specifies procedures and requirements for the identification and labelling of plastics, and products made from plastics, that are suitable for recovery through aerobic composting. The four following aspects are addressed:

1. biodegradation;
2. disintegration during composting;
3. negative effects on the composting process and facility;
4. negative effects on the quality of the resulting compost, including the presence of high levels of regulated metals and other harmful components.

This specification is intended to establish the requirements for the labelling of plastic products and materials, including packaging made from plastics, as “compostable” or “compostable in municipal and industrial composting facilities” or “biodegradable during composting” (for the purposes of this International Standard, these three expressions are considered to be equivalent). The labelling will, in addition, have to conform to all international, regional, national or local regulations (e.g. European Directive 94/62/EC).

NOTE         The recovery of compostable plastics through composting can be carried out under the conditions found in well-managed composting plants, where the temperature, water content, aerobic conditions, carbon/nitrogen ratio and processing conditions are optimized. Such conditions are generally obtained in industrial and municipal composting plants. Under these conditions, compostable plastics will disintegrate and biodegrade at rates comparable to yard trimmings, kraft paper bags and food scraps.