Compostability Certification

Compostability Certification

BPI is the leading authority on compostable products and packaging in North America thanks, in large part, to its commercial compostability certification program that has been operating for over 25 years. That program, and the Certification Mark associated with it, is the most reliable, widely-recognized third-party verification of whether or not an item meets ASTM’s compostability standards – a metric required by every US state that has regulatory language around the definition of compostability, and a method for meeting the FTC’s requirement that all claims of compostability are supported by scientific evidence. 

Meeting the ASTM standards is only the beginning of what BPI’s compostability certification verifies for the entire value chain. Additional elements of BPI’s program include: 

  • Eligibility Requirements – Only items that are associated with desirable feedstocks like food scraps and yard trimmings are eligible for BPI Certification. This helps to keep the total volume of packaging in organics streams lower, which gives composters accepting compostable products a better chance at managing contamination from non-compostable products.
  • Fluorinated Chemicals (PFAS) – BPI's standard for fluorinated chemicals went into effect on January 1, 2020. Products may no longer be claimed as BPI-certified unless they meet all conditions of the rule, including no intentionally-added fluorinated chemicals, a test report showing less than 100 ppm total organic fluorine, and a technical review of the formulation.
  • Labeling Requirements – No organization has done more work on compostable product labeling than BPI. Part of that work entails reviewing every piece of product and packaging artwork to make sure that the BPI Certification Mark is present and to help guide other labeling decisions.
  • Online Product Database - Every BPI-certified item can be referenced in a searchable, online product catalog. This gives downstream audiences the ability to independently verify that items are certified by BPI and in good standing. 
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Commercial Compostability Certification

BPI uses ASTM D6400 as the base standard for assessment for all items going through the BPI Certification process. Optional assessment according to ASTM D6868 and/or D8410 for eligible items is also available. Eligibility is determined by BPI’s technical reviewer and is indicated on the test scheme that's provided to applicants during the certification process. Assessment to ASTM D8410 is limited to cellulosic-fiber-based substrates only and excludes items where thermoplastic polymer is laminated to cellulosic-fiber-based substrates. It doesn't apply to polymer substrates or materials other than cellulosic-fiber-based ones. 

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Home Compostability Certification

Launched in 2025, BPI’s Home Compostability Certification Program is based on the French Standard NF T 51-800. Certification according to BPI’s Commercial Compostability Certification Scheme is a prerequisite for Home Compostability Certification.