Industrial Compostability Passed off as Home Compostable on Shelf
Finished packaging claims demand independent home compostability certification because industrial resin testing excludes ambient degradation and converting inks.
OK Compost INDUSTRIAL
Industrial Standard
Global certification schemes for compostable materials verify that packaging will fully biodegrade within professional, high-temperature municipal composting facilities. The OK Compost INDUSTRIAL mark is awarded to materials that meet the EN 13432 European standard for organic recovery. This certification is managed by TÜV Austria and requires the packaging to degrade under controlled thermophilic conditions that are not found in backyards.
It ensures that the material is processed in commercial facilities where microbial breakdown occurs rapidly.
Process Requirement
Testing protocols run at elevated temperatures to simulate the intense microbial action of a commercial compost windrow. For OK Compost INDUSTRIAL certification, the biodegradation must reach ninety percent within six months at temperatures around fifty-eight degrees Celsius. Disintegration must be achieved within twelve weeks, ensuring that the material does not clog processing equipment.
This high-heat requirement is what distinguishes it from home composting certifications, as lower temperatures would fail to break the polymers down.
Commercial Sourcing
Sourcing managers use this certification for foodservice packaging, such as coffee cups, food trays, and heavy-duty compost bags. It allows municipal waste authorities to accept these items in their organic waste collections. This helps municipalities reduce the volume of food-contaminated packaging sent to landfills.