Compostable Products. What They Are. Why They Matter. David S. Brooks Certification Manager. Biodegradable Products Institute - BPI

Transcription

1 Compostable Products What They Are. Why They Matter. David S. Brooks Certification Manager Biodegradable Products Institute - BPI

2 BPI- Biodegradable Products Institute Founded in 1999 Largest Compostable Products Certifier in the Americas 200 Member Companies; certified 2

3 BPI Certification Products meet ASTM D6400 or D6868 Based on: Testing in approved, independent labs Results verified by NSF International ISO Guide 65 Compliant Recognized throughout Americas For US & Canada For Canada Only

4 Understanding the Label Only for commercial/industrial composting. Do not assume this type of composting is available everywhere. Check before you buy. Each company has a unique ID number where you can look up certification This product is not tested for backyard composting. 4

5 Understanding BPI Certification Independent and science based to be completely compostable. Opt-In Program: no obligation to accept BPIcertified products. A Tool for Composters: Improved quality control at source. Get more food waste/wet paper with less 6

6 Value of Compostable Plastics Compostable plastics are a vehicle for collecting more food waste. Dick Lilly Business Area Manager for Waste Prevention and Product Stewardship, Seattle Public

7 The Other Kind of Sustainable 8

8 Consumer Compliance The best intentioned program will fail if consumers are not willing/able to participate. A logo program that is trusted, and enables positive consumer and commercial behaviors with minimal retraining or disruption. Ensure higher rates of curb-side compliance in municipal programs and more 9

9 THE CLEAN APPROACH to addressing the Yuck Factor at the curb. Start with clean curbside container Add contents from kitchen bin to curbside bin in compostable bag Place contents in curbside container Place bin at curbside for collection Remove clean bin from curb

10 Easier to Comply = Higher Participation One month after the Region transitioned from paper only to accept certified 10X more residents choose to use certified compostable bin liner bags.

11 MUNICIPAL SSO (FOOD) PROGRAM Capture Rate Comparison Averages Allowance for use of compostable polymer bags can increase capture by almost three times over programs that only allow for the use of paper bags.

12 Brattleboro: Composting of Organic Waste (COW) Curbside collection of organics and non-recyclable paper Voluntary participation: 1,000 households Foodwaste/organics diversion: 8,000 lbs. week

13 Brattleboro: Composting of Organic Waste (COW) Includes BPI certified products Contamination from ALL inorganics (glass, metal, ceramic & plastic = approx. 1% Expansion to PAYT in Summer 2015; 2,000 14

14 What s New with the BPI? 15

15 Unique Identification ID New Logo Compact 30% less filling with consumer information built in. International focus, not just US Before After - 16

16 New Certificates Web Link to list of Approved Products Unique Before Paper Based After All Digital (PDF) Digital Signature 17

17 New Web-Based 18

18 Will it compost? YES! Should it compost? Preventing 20

19 22

20 Model 23

21 Summary BPI-certified products replace non-degradable plastics Certified products help composters target more food waste and reduce plastic contamination. The BPI uses science-based standards and 3 rd party verification. The BPI Compostable logo and catalog make it easier to verify certification 28

22 Tel: (Americas) (International) Website: Products Catalog: products.bpiworld.com Facebook: facebook.com/bpiworld

23 BPI Organics Petition BPI petitioned USDA to allow biodegradable mulch film made from bioplastics for organic crop production. NOP published final rule (Sept. 2014) where biobased films were an allowed for use in organic crop production. NOP issued a policy memo (Jan. 2015), removing support for use of any petroleum-based biopdegradable 30

24 Implications for Organic Farmers Organic growers can only use 100% petroleumbased, non-degradable PE mulch films or paper mulches. No current or future biobased films can be used Soiled polyethylene mulch films are too dirty to be recycled, so they must be landfilled. Polyethylene fragments not removed after the season will persist in the 31