Cup lid marked as "completely compostable" (Credit: Brian Yurasits / Unsplash)
The US Composting Council (USCC) and Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) have jointly unveiled guiding principles for compostable product labeling legislation. Through extensive collaboration between compostable product manufacturers, certifiers, municipal authorities and compost producers, a consensus was reached that includes recommendations for unique labeling features such as color schemes, stripes and certification logos for compostable products, as well as a strict ban on the use of similar labels and misleading wording for non-compostable products. The defined criteria for compostable items include mandatory laboratory testing and the encouragement of field testing. “The Compostable Labeling Task Force debated how best to communicate to policymakers the challenges involved in ensuring compostable products make it to compost manufacturers, are easily identifiable, and break down in composting facilities,” said Frank Franciosi, USCC’s executive director. According to an article on biocycle.net new labeling laws that inspired and incorporate some of these principles have passed in Colorado, Minnesota, California, Washington State and Maryland.
US Composting Council
