Certifications
NatureFlex™ films are certified in accordance with the Industrial composting standards, EN13432 and ASTM D6400, by Din Certco and the BPI. In addition, all standard NatureFlex™ films are suitable for home composting and have been certified to ‘OK Compost Home’ by TÜV Austria.
In order to achieve the certification from the official agencies, the relevant test programmes must be completed by an independent accredited test house.
Customers who use certified materials can apply for a ‘product certification’, so that products wrapped in certified packaging can carry the relevant composting logo. This logo allows packaging to be disposed of in the most appropriate manner, where the infrastructure exists.
It is possible to apply for a product certification based on our NatureFlex™ certifications. The testing requirements and costs involved will vary depending on the complexity of the conversion carried out on the materials. Customers should seek advice from their Futamura contact and/or BPI, Din Certco, TÜV Austria or REA (Renewable Energy Association) for specific enquiries.
Industrial Compostability
The key elements of the EN 13432 test programme include:
Biodegradation
A minimum 90% biodegradation versus a control sample in a maximum of six months.
For NatureFlex™ films this is achieved in less than 45 days.
Disintegration
A pilot composting test ensures that the material physically breaks down within three months.
Material Characterisation
Includes heavy metal testing and determination of the volatile solid content.
Ecotoxicity
Compost from the disintegration test is used to ensure that the components have no adverse effects on the plant growth.
Home Compostability
The test programmes for EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 confirm the suitability of a material for composting in an industrial composting plant. In this situation, the conditions are optimised for biodegradation at a temperature of ca. 58ºC.
In many countries however, consumers actively compost their garden waste at home, either in compost bins or heaps, eliminating the need for collection. These processes are more variable due to lower temperatures (rarely more than 2 to 3oC above ambient temperature) at less optimised conditions. Under these conditions, certain compostable materials do not exhibit sufficient biodegradation.
NatureFlex™ films have been tested and approved to the OK Compost Home standard, which repeats the EN 13432 test protocol for biodegradation and disintegration at ambient temperatures, albeit over a longer time frame. They can, therefore, be successfully composted in a home composting environment and typically break down in just a few weeks.
Soil and Waste Water Biodegradation
The NatureFlex™ NE30 grade has been tested to the MITI aqueous biodegradation test (ISO 14851) which demonstrates that it will also break down in waste water and in soil, as well as under home composting conditions.
Anaerobic Digestion
All families of NatureFlex™ films have been tested to ISO 15985 (High solids anaerobic digestion test) at 52ºC. After 15 days all the films, exceeded the test requirements, reaching a similar level of biodegradation to the reference.
Marine Biodegradation
The majority of NatureFlex™ films have successfully been screened for biodegradation and disintegration in seawater, according to ASTM D 7801-05 and ASTM D 6691-09.