Environmental claims of bioplastic products should be specific, accurate, relevant and truthful. Furthermore, there should be independent third party substantiation for these claims.
A label awarded in accordance with independent certification based on acknowledged standards guarantees that the product fulfils the criteria claimed. As bioplastics cannot be distinguished from conventional plastics by non-experts, reliable labelling helps the consumer to identify these products. It also informs the consumer of particular additional qualities the material or product possesses. [...]
Labels referring to the biobased content are for example DIN-Geprüft biobased, OK biobased (both offering different labels reflecting the product’s share of biobased content), and the new logo by Nederlandse Norm (NEN), based on EN 16785-1. Labels for industrially compostable products are, for example, the Seedling Logo, OK Compost, and DIN-Geprüft Industrial Compostable. [...]
Certification of biodegradable/compostable products is available from TÜV AUSTRIA Belgium and DIN CERTCO (Germany) or one of its co-operating institutes such as AfOR (UK) and COBRO (Poland). The Seedling logo for industrial compostable plastic packaging (based on EN 13432) can be acquired from TÜV AUSTRIA Belgium or DIN CERTCO following successful certification. Certification [...]
A standard can be used as the basis for a certification scheme if it clearly defines the criteria and the testing procedures for the material or product. Once the certifier confirms compliance with the defined requirements, the respective product can be labelled with the corresponding logo. Related links: Harmonized standards for bioplastics Fact sheet: [...]