Biodegradation certification

Supply of greases with biodegradability certificates and nontoxic degree by NSF H1 (National Sanitation Foundation) and FDA 21 CFR (Food and Drug Administration). 

This European certification establishes the performance requirements for biodegradation of plastic materials and products (including packaging, films, and other products) while under cool soil burial conditions. The certification specifies modifications to EN 13432. The soil biodegradation environment is one that maintains a temperature below 30°C and results in mesophilic conditions. The certification requires the use of EN 14855 (ISO 17088) test method to measure the amount of CO2 that is emitted from the degrading plastic sample. Vin otte soil biodegradation certification requires the product must demonstrate each of the following characteristics ... 

The Vin otte soil biodegradation certification specifies that two types of tests are performed on the plastic samples. The first test procedure for modified EN 13432 standard specifies that a satisfactory rate of biodegradation of the plastic material is under soil burial conditions between 20°C and 30°C for 24 months, that is, more than 90% of the carbon in the original plastic sample is converted into CO2 as measured by a CO2 respirometer or wet chemistry methods. The details of the test procedures are listed in ISO 14855, ISO 14851, ISO 14852, or ISO 17566 test methods. 

The world biodegradable plastics industry has agreed a set of standards and certification procedures for biodegradable packaging materials, which will continue to encourage growth and possibly deter imitation. 

Biodegradable polymers can make a positive contribution to the conservation of the world s natural resources and protection of the environment. However, their market potential will only be fulfilled if the required framework conditions are put in place to ensure the necessary investment in technology and production capacity. Framework conditions refer to the development of industry standards and regulatory systems, certification and certification systems that are designed to encourage biodegradable polymer market development. 

Biodegradable plastic products must meet stringent quality criteria if they are to be composted. Dedicated standards and certification schemes/tests have been established for verifying the compostability of plastic products. 

Since the term compostable could not be protected by legal means and biodegradable plastic products cannot be distinguished from conventional polymers by their appearance, a certification and identification process was created with the support of the German Ministry for Consumer Protection, Agriculture and Forests. 

The certification programme for compostable biodegradable plastic products has been set up by experts responsible for waste recycling and compost quality assurance. The members are as follows ... 

In 2005, the four leading European biodegradable plastics material suppliers BASF, Nature Works, Novamont and Rodenburg Polymers, have also agreed to submit their packaging materials and products for certification by Din Certco under EN 13432, and label their packaging products with the compostability logo to better inform consumers and retailers. 

In June 2005, Mater-Bi polymers were issued with the OK home compost certificate from Belgium s AIB Vincotte international certification institute meaning that it can be used in bags for the recycling of biodegradable organic waste in home compost bins. 

In January 2006, Okopack film and Okopack trays received full Din-Certco certification for biodegradability. 

AgroResin is a biodegradable packaging material from by-products of the palm oil industry. It can also be made from agricultural fibres, such as wheat straw. It is compatible with existing moulded pulp manufacturing processes. AgroResin has received Din-Certco certification for products made of compostable materials (DIN EN 13432 2000-12). 

Only biodegradation tests, preferably normative, can conclude that a given material is biodegradable, but they carmot conclude, in any case, its eco-compatibility. In an attempt to approach this, other tests must complement those that determine the biodegradability of materials, such as chemical analyses and ecotoxicity studies. This is the focus of other norms based on those devoted to studying biodegradability and are supplemented by new tests. Thus, we answer the question posed in the article title in fact, biodegradabihty tests are ultimately only part of certification standards, whether this may be NF EN 13432, or NF U 52001 or all other equivalent norms. 

This was demonstrated by certificates of various PHA producers for industrial composting and also home composting, as well as in soil, fresh water, and marine seawater conditions. Furthermore, the complete biodegradation profile is often faster than for other biopolymers [11],... 

The demand for consumer products that are truly biodegradable has led to national and international Definitions and Standards of Biodegradability. Regulatory bodies, such as ASTM (USA) and ISO (international), CEN (Europe), JAS (Japan), have all published such standards and issued logos that certify to meet these standards. Although the definitions, test methods, and certification requirements differ, the following are some common features ... 

A temperature of 40 °C, quite unusual for geotechnical applications, was chosen within the BAM certification because geomembranes in landfill liners may be exposed to elevated temperatures when the waste body of the landfill contains biodegradable materials and especially when it is run as a bioreactor landfill. 

DEST CERTCO operates a certification scheme for compostable products made of biodegradable materials and licenses the use of the corresponding mark developed by European Bioplastics (the former IBAW Interest Group for Biodegradable Materials). 

Certification organization Biodegradable Prodncts Irrstitute/US Composting Council (USA). Requirements Testing according to standard ASTM 6400. 

Others certificates. European Bioplastics promotes the implementation of a unified certification and labelling scheme of bioplastic products in Europe [33], European Bioplastics (the successor to IBAW - International Biodegradable Polymers Association and Working Group, founded in 1993), registered in 2006, is the European branch association representing industrial manufactmers, processors and users of bioplastics and biodegradable polymers and its derivative products. 

Reske I Development of an international network for the certification of compostabdity. Annual Meeting of the EnviromnentaUy Biodegradable Polymer Association (EBPA), Taichung, Taiwan,... 

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