Biodegradability of Starch-Based Products

Product certification guarantees that it is not only the plastic that is compostable, but also all other components of the product, such as colors, labels, glues, and-in the case of packaging products-residuals of the content. The protected compostability label (or seedling ) may only be used for certified products. Both the logo and the number of the certificate printed on the product allow identification of the producer and confirmation of conformity the product that has been tested and the marketed one must coincide. 

Certification of compostable polymer products based on EN 13432 [1] is performed by DIN CERTECO and other EU certification bodies according to quality management systems such as EN 45011/EN 45012 [7, 8]. DIN CERTECO, the certification organization of DIN, established the scheme in 1997 and has gained internationally renowned expertise ever since, as witnessed by, for example, their participation in the International Network for Compostability Certification together with institutions from the USA, Japan, and Taiwan, or with other certification bodies in Europe in order to implement harmonized supranational certification schemes. As from June 2004, participants are The Composting Association from the UK, Keurmerk from the Netherlands, and COBRO from Poland. 

Many polymers that are claimed to be biodegradable are in fact bioerodable and degrade -at least initially - without the action of micro-organisms. This is also known as abiotic disintegration, and may include processes such as dissolution in water, oxidative embrittlement (heat aging), or photolytic embrittlement (UV aging). 

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