Industrial Compostable

The negative impact of plastic use on our planet is now widely understood. Harmful to the environment, plastics take hundreds of years to decompose, cannot be infinitely recycled (especially when contaminated with organic waste), and typically do not come from renewable sources. On the other hand, they are cheap to produce and extremely versatile.

One alternative is biodegradable plastic and a subset of it is compostable plastics which will decompose in industrial composting facilities under controlled conditions for temperature, humidity, and aeration.

Industrial composting has multiple advantages in terms of sustainability.  In effect, it is a form of recycling – turning one product into another. Producing high-quality compost in this way also reduces our reliance on artificial fertilizers and the need for incineration and landfills, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions. 

• Companies have made commitments to make packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025.
• Some US cities are expanding composting programs and infrastructure.

• Compostable food service ware

SGS Industrial Compostable certification helps companies build trust in their compostable products. Available for a wide range of plastic products, from packaging materials to single-material plastic products, this scientific approach verifies the compostability and anaerobic treatability of materials to ensure ultimate biodegradation and disintegration during composting.   Products are tested in line with a range of internationally recognized standards:

• EN 13432 – packaging – requirements for packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation
• ASTM D6400 – standard specification for labeling of plastics designed to be aerobically composted in municipal or industrial facilities
• GB/T 28206 – specifications for compostable plastics