Evaluation and Certification of Compostable Polymeric Materials and Products

Abstract

Introduction Background Defining Biodegradability Why is Compostability an Issue? The European Council Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste Evaluation of Compostability Characterization Biodegradability Disintegration Effects on the Composting Process Effects on Compost Quality Evaluation versus Certification Examples of Current Certification Programs Compostability Mark of IBAW OK Compost Logo of AVI Compostable Logo of BPI GreenPla Identification and Labeling System of BPS Other Developments Future Perspectives Keywords: compostability; composting; biodegradability; disintegration; standardization; certification; labeling; logo; evaluation criteria; packaging; packaging waste; biowaste; European Directive; compost quality; GreenPla