Lights on Home Compostable Certifications in 2022

Lights On Home Compostable Certifications in 2022

compostability

The meaning of home compostable

Products that break down and return to nature within a short timeframe for the disintegration and biodegradation, with toxicity measurement and without human intervention. For these products to be certified, they need to be tested according to certifications or standards. 

World first home compostable certification

Tuv Austria was the first certification body in 2003 to define the requirement for a home compostable certification called OK COMPOST HOME. TÜV AUSTRIA (formerly Vinçotte) is a certification body authorised by European Bioplastics. Tuv Austria developed OK compost HOME program to guarantee complete biodegradability in the light of specific requirements, even in your garden compost.
According to the TUV website, “The OK compost HOME defined in 2003, has never been questioned since then and have served as the basis for the drafting of several standards, including:

  • Australia: AS 5810 (2010) 
  • France: NF T 51800 (2015) 
  • Europe: prEN 17427 (2020)”

Home Compostable Logo okcompost 150

Other certification body & verification schemes for home compostability

dincertco HC

DIN CERTCO is a joint-venture certification body comprising the TÃœV Rheinland Group and the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN). Products are tested according to the Australian Standard defined in 2010 AS5810 and  the French Standard NF T51-800 defined in 2015. “UPDATE FEV 2021 REMOVING AS 5810 (2010)”

Screen Shot 2021 12 07 at 2.41.43 pm

Renewable Energy Assurance Limited (REAL) is a verification scheme designed for the UK market. Products are tested according to the Australian Standard defined in 2010 AS5810 and  the French Standard NF T51-800 

HOMECE2

According to APCO latest report, ABA Home Compost certification logo is registered as a trademark and is investigating becoming a certification trademark in 2022. Products are tested according to the Australian Standard defined in 2010 AS5810

Standard for home compostable certification?

  • The Australian Standard  AS5810 defined in 2010. Biodegradable plastics – Biodegradable plastics suitable for home composting
  • The French Standard NF T51-800 defined in 2015. Plastics – Specifications for plastics suitable for household composting
  • Europe: prEN 17427 defined in 2020. Packaging – Requirements and test scheme for carrier bags suitable for treatment in well managed household composting plants

As said above all these standards have been created on the basis of the TUV OK COMPOST HOME certification.

What is tested?

Home certifications & standards
Certification bodyTUV OK COMPOST HOMEDin CERTCO Home Compostable
Verification schemeABAX 9999 Home Compostable REAL Home Compostable
MarksHOMECE1dincertco HCHOMECE2 Screen Shot 2021 12 07 at 2.41.43 pm
Date2003201320102021
Over arching standardTUV OK COMPOST HOME is the basis for all home compostable standardsNF T 51800 (2015) / "UPDATE FEV 2021 REMOVING" AS 5810 (2010) AS 5810 (2010)AS 5810 (2010) / NF T 51800 (2015)
RegionWorldwideWorldwideAustraliaUK
Tested components
Chemical characterisation
Biodegradable plastics are initially screened for
presence of heavy metals, toxic or harmful substances
(such as Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr, Mo, Se, As, and F) to
ensure that they are within permissible limits as specified
in EN 13432
Aerobic biodegradation
To pass the biodegradation test the
sample must produce enough carbon dioxide to
theoretically degrade by more than 90% weight/weight within six months according to ISO 14855
Disintegration
To pass
disintegration testing at least 90% w/w of the sample
must disintegrate (or physically breakdown) to a
fragment size less than 2 mm according to ISO 20200
Plant ecotoxicity
To pass ecotoxicity testing
all test sample results must be within 10% of the ‘control
compost’ performance according to OECD 208
Earthworm ecotoxicity
n/a
To pass ecotoxicity testing
all test sample results must be within 10% of the ‘control
compost’ performance according to ASTM E1676

At Compostable Alternatives

We only work with certified home compostable products by the ANZ and/or European standards. This ensures they stand by what they claim!

All our products fully break down anywhere there is oxygen and micro organisms, in under 6 months.

OK Compost HOMEEuropean certification  for home compostable packaging
ABA Home Compost 
Australasian certification  for home compostable packaging
DIN CERTCO Home CompostableEuropean certification  for home compostable packaging
About the author:

Marion is a French entrepreneur, profoundly interested in the composting industry. Her words are her own thoughts and come from her research and learning. Although she quotes and sources the information she shares, Marion is not a scientist or a researcher and her opinions should not be understood as a scientific truth.

Through her findings and experience in the industry, she is attempting to support hospitality businesses and producers in their search of alternative choices to single-use and other types of plastic packaging. You should always do your own research to best inform yourself.

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