Demand for compostable certifications drives BPI to outsource verification
Posted by Lisa McTigue Pierce -- Packaging Digest, 1/12/2012 12:36:43 PM
To handle a five-fold increase in compostable product certifications, the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) has announced that its successful "Compostable Logo" effort will be administered by NSF International (Ann Arbor, MI) beginning in January 2012.
The NSF is a global certification organization which will verify manufacturers' claims of compostability in large-scale composting facilities. Companies submit products and testing data to substantiate the biodegradation, disintegration and absence of eco-toxicity of their products including compostable bags, foodservice items, packaging materials and other consumer products. After certification, manufacturers, authorized distributors and resellers may then license the BPI's "Compostable Logo" for marketing claims.
NSF International will now accept and review certification requests to ensure that all BPIcertified products continue to meet ASTM D6400 or ASTM D6868 standards for compostability. Actual licensing and market development efforts will remain the responsibility of the BPI.
NSF is a global leader in third-party, independent product certification and testing, and is actively involved in the development of global public health standards. NSF brings to the BPI's certification program more than 65 years' experience, including national and international accreditations, and global operations that today serve more than 10,000 certification customers in 150 countries worldwide.
The new service agreement is designed to bolster the credibility and capability of the 10-year old BPI "Compostable Logo" program, which has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years. By partnering with NSF, the BPI certification program will also comply with the requirements of ISO Guide 65, the internationally recognized standard for third-party certification bodies.
"The BPI Compostable Logo is widely recognized by consumers, composters and municipal officials throughout North America as the preferred trademark to assure compostability in commercial facilities," says Steven Mojo, BPI's executive director. "As more companies recognize the importance and value of food waste diversion and composting, coupled with the increasing importance of responsible environmental marketing claims about compostability, we anticipate even more growth in the years ahead."
"NSF International's expertise and recognition in both product certification and sustainability will increase the credibility of the BPI's effort," states Tom Bruursema, general manager NSF Sustainability, a division of NSF International. "Our new partnership will create a strong foundation to support BPI's anticipated growth."
According to Mojo, this agreement will also enable the BPI to expand its educational and marketing activities for compostable products throughout North America. "While product certification is the foundation of BPI's mission, our members look to us to act as a leading advocate for the key issues that face all manufacturers of compostable products in North America," adds Mojo. "This agreement allows BPI to handle more product certifications while expanding its reach to better serve the needs of our industry."
The BPI awarded the first "Compostable Logo" in 2002 to distinguish compostable plastic applications from ones made of traditional non-degradable plastics. Since then more than 238 products have been certified by BPI by more than 130 global companies.
Source: Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
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