Standard on Industrial Composting

Regarding biodegradation, a 90% mineralisation level, measured as produced CO2 or 

It can be challenged that disintegration is tested for 3 months while biodegradation is monitored for 6 months. The difference in test duration lays in the following reasons. 

Moreover, it must be understood that the 90% mineralisation requirement is a very high biodegradation level which practically represents complete biodegradation. 

Regarding ecotoxicity, snch standards pay attention to the initial ingredients of the material by prescribing some essential requirements on the starting composition, i.e., very low heavy metals content and a limited use of substances with unknown biodegradability. The latter can be used at a concentration in the material below 1 % by weight per snhstance, on condition that the overall sum of such substances is below 5%. 

In addition, similarly and more severely, NF U 52-001 also requires the absence of specific classes of chemicals in the polymeric composition, i.e., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other persistent pollutants. 

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