“Our specialty from Brabant has a delicious chewy bite and is a real delicacy. The White cookie (also known as the white egg cookie) is being sold to our customers…
Are you still into compostable packaging?
Compostability is a request we often get when talking about a new, more sustainable packaging. The question we ask our customer is if they believe in compostability and if that is the their goal for their packaging solution. Is compostable packaging still a hot item?
In every country the amount of focus on compostability depends on how waste disposal is organized. Countries in which landfill plays an important role, have more focus on compostability. This is because they are very afraid of possible future pollution.
Industrial and home compostable packaging
In a professional composting installation, compostable (packaging) material must meet the following requirements of the European standard for compostable packaging EN-13432: At least 90% of the product must break down into particles of less than 2 mm within 12 weeks. The circumstances in the facility are ideal. A temperature of around 50-60 degrees Celsius and a moisture content of about 45-60%. If the moisture content exceeds 65%, anaerobic conditions develop and organisms get a lack of oxygen.
Home compostability is more difficult, because the circumstances at home are not as optimized as in a composting facility. OK Home Compost for instance is an environmental label. The label indicates products that do not contain any harmful substances and can be converted into compost at home in a period of 6 months, in which no residues of heavy metals or fluorine are present.
Compostability in practice
We see the compostability logos and reports of various packaging solutions passing by every day. The industrial compostability logo is the easiest to get, so that is a standard for many companies. However, in our chats with waste disposal companies, we found out that in many cases the 12 weeks for industrial composting are not met. There is simply not enough time (space & money) to give the waste 12 weeks. So in practice, when after 6 weeks a compostable packaging is not dissolved, it will be incinerated.
Why large companies stop focussing on compostability
Larger companies shifted their focus from compostability to recycling. Compostability is end-of-life, recycling is the start of a new life. This is in line with the EU greendeal in which raw materials should be reused as often as possible. By using mono materials and actively involving the customer in the recycling processes, these companies feel that compostable packaging has less value than recycled packaging.
For more information on innovative packaging, which 11 steps we take to get to a new packaging solution or why we guarantee a very high quality, please contact us via our e-mail: info@halmasolutions.com or by phone +31 (0)24-7470013. We are always happy to discuss the possibilities with you and share our thoughts on sustainability, eco packaging, bagasse packaging or for instance the best coffee cups. Please also feel free to ask us for the most recent developments on raw materials and recycled packaging.
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