On October 3, 2023, the US Composting Council (USCC) and the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), together with a task force of packaging and composting stakeholders, released model principles for labeling compostable products. The document aims to inspire and inform policymakers who are considering implementing laws for compostable products.
In their guidance, the authors present ten labeling and product design principles they believe should be required to make compostable products successful and consistently legislated while avoiding consumer confusion (FPF reported). Rhodes Yepsen, executive director of BPI states in the press release that “[p]olicies around compost infrastructure and compostable product labeling vary greatly from state to state, and consistent requirements are needed for both producers and receivers of compostable products to be successful.”
Included in the ten guidelines is the requirement for third-party certification for compostability claims (as currently defined by the international standards organization ASTM International); prohibition of “misleading or unsubstantiated terms” like biodegradable, degradable, or decomposable; along with clear labeling and identification regulations that are aimed at making it easy for the consumers and composters to identify compostable products.
Moreover, the authors define clear rules for product design, that prohibit non-compostable products from using labeling and color schemes that might mislead consumers such as the use of green, brown, or beige material colors. Trademarked logos using these colors would be exempted from this rule, as long as the entire product is not one of these colors.
While the guidelines require third-party certification by lab testing, field testing to ensure compatible facility conditions are not required but recommended.
To further ensure consistency and enforcement, labeling and identification regulations should reference existing industry standards and consider input from stakeholders and other municipalities where possible. New regulations should come with dedicated educational outreach materials to accompany changes, and specific enforcement provisions to be carried out by the appropriate agency or enforcement body.
USCC and BPI are planning to disseminate these principles by educating and informing legislators and other critical stakeholders in webinars, meetings, and presentations.
In several public policy consultations throughout 2023, the Food Packaging Forum has encouraged policymakers to consider the fate of chemicals used in food contact materials when designing regulation concerning compostable products (FPF reported, also here). Compostable packaging should be free of hazardous chemicals with special focus given to chemicals that are persistent, such as PFAS. ASTM standard 6868 requires that certified packaging has “no adverse impacts on the ability of composts to support plant growth” but “does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use.”
References
USCC (October 3, 2023). “Model principles for labeling compostable products.”
USCC (October 3, 2023). “Compostable product labeling legislative guidelines released.”
Read more
Maria Rachal (October 6, 2023). “US Composting Council, BPI release product labeling legislative guidelines.” Waste Dive
Food Packaging Forum (February 2022). “Fact sheet on bioplastics.”
