The table below shows that the French standard NF T 51-800 is equivalent to, and in some cases, more stringent and protective of public health, when compared to OK Compost HOME Certification. The French standard includes cobalt (which can negatively impact crops if present at high levels) as a regulated heavy metal. The French standard is also more stringent in that it does not allow for special concessions to reduce required disintegration testing for specific instances with masterbatches, multilayer structures, and blends of materials. It only permits concessions for hollow structures, which are based on geometry (e.g. a drinking straw) rather than ingredients in a formula for masterbatches, blends, and multilayer structures. Being based on the French standard, BPI’s Home Compostability Certification exceeds the requirements of OK Compost HOME.
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Requirement
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TÜV Austria OK compost HOME Certification
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NF T 51-800
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Heavy metals
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Same as EN 13432
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Same as EN 13432 plus Cobalt
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Fluorine
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Restricted to 100 ppm
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Restricted to 100 ppm
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Volatile solids
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Minimum 50%
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Minimum 50%
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Biodegradation
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90% absolute or relative. Can test constituents greater than 1% individually or with the whole product.
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90% absolute or relative. Can test constituents greater than 1% individually or with the whole product.
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Disintegration
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90% quantitative according to ISO 20200 (lab-scale test) at ambient temperature or 90% quantitative according to ISO 16929 (pilot-scale test) at thermophilic and mesophilic temperatures, with a 90% qualitative test at ambient temperature. Special concessions for multilayer, blends, masterbatch, and hollow structures.
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90% quantitative according to either ISO 16929 (pilot-scale test) or ISO 20200 (lab-scale test) at ambient temperature, or 90% quantitative according to ISO 16929 (pilot-scale test) at thermophilic and mesophilic temperatures, with a 90% qualitative test at ambient temperature. Special rule for hollow structures only.
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Ecotoxicity
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OECD 208 modified to address the special needs for testing compost samples. Seedling germination and plant biomass shall be no less than 90% of blank compost.
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OECD 208 modified to address the special needs for testing compost samples. Seedling germination and plant biomass shall be no less than 90% of blank compost.
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