Composting
End products made with 100% Ingeo will compost in municipal/industrial facilities according to ISO, ASTM, and EN regulations, and Ingeo is certified appropriately. The number of these facilities are limited and may not be available near you.
Looking for a composter in the US? Please visit findacomposter.com.
Ingeo biopolymer is made primarily of polylactic acid (PLA), a repeating chain of lactic acid, which undergoes a 2-step degradation process. First, the moisture and heat in the compost pile split the polymer chains apart, creating smaller polymers, and finally, lactic acid. Microorganisms in compost and soil consume the smaller polymer fragments and lactic acid as nutrients. Since lactic acid is widely found in nature, a large number of organisms metabolize lactic acid. The end result of composting is carbon dioxide, water and humus, a soil nutrient. This degradation process is temperature and humidity dependent.
CERTIFICATIONS
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Regulatory guidelines and standards for composting revolve around four basic criteria: Material Characteristics, Biodegradation, Disintegration, and Ecotoxicity (Compost Quality). Description of the requirements of these testing can be found in the appropriate geographical area: DIN V 54900-1 (Germany), EN-13432 (EU), ASTM 6400-04 (USA), GreenPla (Japan). |
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EUROPE
All required testing data for Ingeo biopolymer was presented to DIN CERTCO for certification of suitability as a compostable material for packaging purposes in Europe. Ingeo passed all required testing according to EN-13432. We received registration from DIN CERTCO and a copy of this certification is available upon request. |
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
All required testing data for Ingeo biopolymer was presented to the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) for certification according to ASTM 6400-04. |
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