The EN 13432 standard applies to packaging materials that are expected to be recycled through composting and biodegradation. Modiwell garbage bag film has passed the rigorous testing and certification of the EU EN 13432 standard. This shows that Modiwell garbage bag film can effectively biodegrade and disintegrate under industrial composting conditions, and its decomposition products will not adversely affect the quality of compost and the environment. The following is a clear test scheme and evaluation criteria for the organic recycling of packaging materials to ensure that it meets environmental requirements, while helping everyone understand and verify the compostability and biodegradability of packaging materials.
Core Testing Standards
| Element Maximum limit | (mg/kg dry matter) |
| Zinc (Zn) | 150 |
| Copper (Cu) | 50 |
| Nickel (Ni) | 25 |
| Cadmium (Cd) | 0.5 |
| Lead (Pb) | 50 |
| Mercury (Hg) | 0.5 |
| Chromium (Cr) | 50 |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 1 |
| Selenium (Se) | 0.75 |
| Arsenic (As) | 5 |
| Fluorine (F) | 100 |
| Cobalt (Co) | 0.5 |
- Ingredient control
Restriction of harmful substances: Ingredients that are harmful to the environment during biological treatment shall not be intentionally added to packaging materials, and the content of heavy metals and other toxic and harmful substances shall be strictly controlled within the specified range (See the table above for specific restrictions.). - Biodegradability
Test object: The part of the packaging material with an organic content exceeding 1% is subject to biodegradability test.
Test method:Aerobic biodegradability test: Through controlled aerobic composting test, the cycle shall not exceed 6 months, and the degradation rate shall reach more than 90%.
Anaerobic biodegradability test: Through anaerobic digestion and aerobic stabilization test, the cycle shall not exceed 2 months, and the degradation rate based on biogas production shall reach more than 50%.
Judgment criteria: meet the above degradation rate requirements, and no environmentally harmful intermediates are produced during the degradation process. - Disintegration
Test purpose: verify whether the packaging material can be physically decomposed into very small fragments during the biological treatment process and does not have a negative impact on the treatment process.
Test method:Aerobic composting disintegration test: the cycle does not exceed 12 weeks, and up to 10% of the original dry weight should not pass through the 2mm sieve.
Anaerobic biogasification disintegration test: The test cycle is a combination of anaerobic digestion and aerobic stabilization, and the longest period does not exceed 5 weeks. It is also required that up to 10% of the original dry weight cannot pass through the 2mm sieve.
Judgment criteria: meet the above disintegration rate requirements, and the disintegration products do not affect the subsequent use of the compost. - Compost quality
Test purpose: ensure that the packaging material will not have a negative impact on the quality of the compost during the composting process.
Test content:Physical and chemical parameters: including pH value, conductivity, nitrogen content, organic matter content, etc., must meet the conventional standards for compost products.
Ecotoxicity: The ecotoxicity of compost on higher plants is evaluated through the OECD 208 plant growth test. The germination rate and plant biomass of the compost sample should be at least 90% of the blank compost.
Judgment criteria: The physicochemical parameters of the compost meet the standards and have no significant negative impact on plant growth. - Exemption
Equivalent form: Compostable packaging materials in a specific form are also acceptable in other forms.
Natural materials: Chemically unmodified packaging materials and ingredients of natural origin, such as wood, wood fiber, cotton fiber, starch, pulp or jute, can be considered biodegradable without testing, but must meet the disintegration and composting quality requirements.
Testing and evaluation process
- Component characterization: Determine the composition, harmful substance content, organic carbon content, etc. of the packaging material.
- Biodegradability test: Select the appropriate test method according to the type of packaging material and conduct biodegradability test.
- Disintegration test: Test the disintegration of packaging materials under simulated or actual composting conditions.
- Compost quality assessment:
- The composted product is tested for physicochemical parameters and ecotoxicity to assess the quality of the compost.
- Determination of negative impacts：
Suppliers of packaging, packaging materials or packaging components designated as organic and recyclable on the market should at least determine through a direct comparison process that the quality of the compost produced by a given “controlled waste treatment” process (defined by the following criteria) is not negatively affected by the addition of the packaging material or packaging component.
Physicochemical parameters that define compost quality include: volume weight (density), total dry solids, volatile solids, salt content, pH, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.
The ecotoxic effects on two higher plants are determined by comparing compost produced with and without the addition of packaging materials. The plant growth test OECD208 should be used to compare the number of germination (the number of plants grown) and plant biomass of the sample compost and the blank compost at all mixing ratios. Germination rate and biomass are calculated as a percentage of the corresponding values of the blank compost.
- Determination of negative impacts：
- The composted product is tested for physicochemical parameters and ecotoxicity to assess the quality of the compost.
- Results Recording and Reporting: Use the Conformity Assessment Checklist to record the results of each assessment or test and prepare a detailed test report.
Conclusion
Compliance with this standard does not exempt from legal obligations, and users are responsible for the correct application of the standard. The above is a comprehensive guide to the compostability and anaerobic treatment of packaging materials, ensuring that packaging materials can effectively biodegrade and disintegrate during the composting process without negatively affecting the final compost quality.
Important Notice
- Modiwell toilet trash bags comply with the European Union EN 13432 industrial compostability standard.
- Please note that California has specific regulations for “compostable” products based on ASTM standards, and does not directly recognize EN 13432. In California, please do not directly treat these bags as compliant with local “compostable” standards.
- Important: Please follow your local waste disposal and composting guidelines. For more information on compostability in California, please visit: CalRecycle
