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Compostable Packaging Degradation Pilot Launched

Led by the Composting Consortium, the pilot will generate data to help shape international standards for field testing compostable packaging and contribute to the launch of an open-source results database.

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The Composting Consortium, a collaboration of industry partners managed by Closed Loop Partners, has announced the launch of its Compostable Packaging Degradation Pilot. According to the consortium, the initiative is the most comprehensive collaborative study of real-world compostable packaging disintegration in the U.S. to date. It adds that the project marks a milestone for the group, as it aims to improve available data on how certified, food-contact compostable foodware and packaging is currently breaking down at various types of composting facilities.

Participating facilities include Ag Choice, Atlas Organics, Black Earth Compost, The Foodbank, Inc. of Dayton, Ohio, Happy Trash Can Curbside Composting, Napa Recycling, Specialized Environmental Technologies, Inc.’s Empire, Minn., facility, Veteran Compost, and Windham Solid Waste Management.  

Working with these industrial composting facilities across the U.S., the pilot will evaluate the disintegration of more than 30 types of certified compostable products and packaging––including compostable cutlery, molded fiber bowls, bioplastic cups, and snack packaging––across facilities operating with varying climates, composting methods, and equipment. Data gathered from the assessment will inform the consortium’s broader work to align the rapid growth of compostable packaging with on-the-ground operational and business needs of industrial composters.

The development of the pilot was informed by the expertise of the consortium’s partners, including the US Composting Council (USCC) and the Compost Research and Education Foundation (CREF), as well as the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), BioCycle, Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), and consumer and packaging brand companies. These key stakeholders contributed technical knowledge to ensure that the pilot’s objectives, methodology, and data align with the operational realities of composting facilities, as well as support circular and economically viable outcomes for composters.


Read article   Read how Frito-Lay developed an industrially compostable bag for its Off The Eaten Path snack brand.


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