Biodegradability Tests - Compostability of Materials

The market cannot be boosted without the appropriate regulations that prevent manufacturers from introducing so-called “biodegradable”plastics on the market without compostability guarantees.

The main standards to verify the compostability of materials are: EN 14995; EN 13432; ASTM D6400 and ISO 17088. We carry out our testing in accordance with these standards which specify the requirements to determine the compostability and treatability of the materials:

• Composition of the material or materials that make up the product, paying special attention to the absence of hazardous substances, including heavy metals.
• Biodegradation (ISO 14855, among others). A minimum percentage of the material’s initial weight should biodegrade within a certain period.
• Disintegration (mainly ISO 16929) during biological treatment. There should not be any fragments of material in excess of 2mm x 2mm after a certain period of time.
• Effect on the biological treatment process.
• Effect on the quality of the compost obtained, which can be assessed via ecotoxicity tests on plants (OECD 208).