Abstract

This specification establishes the requirements for labelling of materials and products (including packaging), wherein a biodegradable plastic film or coating is attached (either through lamination or extrusion directly onto the paper) to compostable substrates and the entire product or package is designed to be composted in municipal and industrial aerobic composting facilities. This specification, however, does not describe the contents of the product or their performance with regards to compostability or biodegradability. In order to compost satisfactorily, the product must demonstrate each of the three characteristics as follows: (1) proper disintegration during composting; (2) adequate level of inherent biodegradation; and (3) no adverse impacts on the ability of composts to support plant growth.

This abstract is a brief summary of the referenced standard. It is informational only and not an official part of the standard; the full text of the standard itself must be referred to for its use and application. ASTM does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents of this abstract are accurate, complete or up to date.

1. Scope

1.1 This specification covers end items that include plastics or polymers where plastic film/ sheet or polymers are incorporated (either through lamination, extrusion or mixing) to substrates and the entire end item is designed to be composted under aerobic conditions in municipal and industrial composting facilities, where thermophilic temperatures are achieved.

1.2 This specification is intended to establish the requirements for labeling of end items which use plastics or polymers as coatings or binders, as compostable in aerobic municipal and industrial composting facilities.

1.3 The properties in this specification are those required to determine if end items (including packaging) which use plastics and polymers as coatings or binders will compost satisfactorily, in large scale aerobic municipal or industrial composting where maximum throughput is a high priority and where intermediate stages of plastic biodegradation should not be visible to the end user for aesthetic reasons.

1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains to the test methods portion of this standard: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate health and safety practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

Note 1There is no known ISO equivalent for this standard.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ISO Standards

Comite Europeen de Normalisation (CEN)

Organization for Economic Development (OECD) Standard

ASTM Standards

D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics

D3715/D3715M Practice for Quality Assurance of Pressure-Sensitive Tapes

D5338 Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under Controlled Composting Conditions, Incorporating Thermophilic Temperatures

D6002 Guide for Assessing the Compostability of Environmentally Degradable Plastics

D6400 Specification for Labeling of Plastics Designed to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities

D6866 Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis

Keywords

biodegradable; compostable packaging; compostable plastic; composting; degradable plastics; labeling;

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 13.030.99 (Other standards related to wastes)

DOI: 10.1520/D6868-11

ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.

ASTM D6868