ASTM D6400-12
(Specification)Standard Specification for Labeling of Plastics Designed to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities
Standard Specification for Labeling of Plastics Designed to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities
ABSTRACT
This specification covers plastics and products made from plastics that are designed to be composted in municipal and industrial aerobic composting facilities. The properties in this specification are those required to determine if plastics and products made from plastics will compost satisfactorily, including biodegrading at a rate comparable to known compostable materials. The purpose of this specification is to establish standards for identifying products and materials that will compost satisfactorily in commercial and municipal composting facilities.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers plastics and products made from plastics that are designed to be composted under aerobic conditions in municipal and industrial aerobic composting facilities, where thermophilic conditions are achieved.
1.2 This specification is intended to establish the requirements for labeling of materials and products, including packaging made from plastics, as “compostable in aerobic municipal and industrial composting facilities.”
1.3 The properties in this specification are those required to determine if end items (including packaging), which use plastics and polymers as coatings or binders will compost satisfactorily, in large scale aerobic municipal or industrial composting facilities. Maximum throughput is a high priority to composters and the intermediate stages of plastic disintegration and biodegradation not be visible to the end user for aesthetic reasons.
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains to the test methods portion of this standard: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate health and safety practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Note 1—This test method is equivalent to ISO 17088.
General Information
Relations
Buy Standard
Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:D6400 −12
Standard Specification for
Labeling of Plastics Designed to be Aerobically Composted
1
in Municipal or Industrial Facilities
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6400; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope* Conditions, Incorporating Thermophilic Temperatures
2.2 Organization for Economic Development (OECD) Stan-
1.1 This specification covers plastics and products made
3
dard:
from plastics that are designed to be composted under aerobic
OECD Guideline 208 Terrestrial Plant Test: Seedling Emer-
conditions in municipal and industrial aerobic composting
gence and Seedling Growth Test
facilities, where thermophilic conditions are achieved.
4
2.3 Comite Europeen de Normalisation (CEN):
1.2 This specification is intended to establish the require-
EN 13432: 2000, 2000 CEN/TC 261/SC4N99 Packag-
ments for labeling of materials and products, including pack-
ing—Requirements for Packaging Recoverable through
aging made from plastics, as “compostable in aerobic munici-
Composting and Biodegradation—Test Scheme and
pal and industrial composting facilities.”
Evaluation Criteria for the FinalAcceptance of Packaging
1.3 The properties in this specification are those required to
(EN 13432)
determine if end items (including packaging), which use 4
2.4 ISO Standard:
plastics and polymers as coatings or binders will compost
ISO 14855–1 Determination of the ultimate aerobic biode-
satisfactorily, in large scale aerobic municipal or industrial
gradability of plastic materials under controlled compost-
composting facilities. Maximum throughput is a high priority
ing conditions—Method by analysis of evolved carbon
to composters and the intermediate stages of plastic disintegra-
dioxide—Part 1: General method
tion and biodegradation not be visible to the end user for
ISO 14855–2 Determination of the ultimate aerobic biode-
aesthetic reasons.
gradability of plastic materials under controlled compost-
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains to the test
ing conditions—Method by analysis of evolved carbon
methods portion of this standard: This standard does not
dioxide—Part 2: Gravimetric measurement of carbon
purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated
dioxide evolved in a laboratory-scale test
with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard
ISO 16929 Plastics—Determination of the Degree of Disin-
to establish appropriate health and safety practices and to
tegration of Plastic Materials under Defined Composting
determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to
Conditions in a Pilot-Scale Test
use.
ISO 17088 Specifications for Compostable Plastics
ISO 20200 Determination of the degree of disintegration of
NOTE 1—This test method is equivalent to ISO 17088.
plastic materials under simulated composting conditions
in a laboratory-scale test
2. Referenced Documents
5
2
2.5 U.S. Government Standard:
2.1 ASTM Standards:
40 CFR Part 503.13 Standards for the Use or Disposal of
D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
Sewage Sludge
D5338 Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegrada-
6
2.6 Canadian Government Standard:
tion of Plastic Materials Under Controlled Composting
Trade Memorandum T-4-93 Standards for Metals in Fertil-
izers and Supplements
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on
Plastics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.96 on Environmen-
3
tally Degradable Plastics and Biobased Products. Available from Organization for Economic Development, Director of
Current edition approved May 15, 2012. Published May 2012. Originally Information, 2 rue Andre' Pascal, 75775 Paris Cedex 16, France.
4
approved in 1999. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as D6400 - 04. DOI: Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
10.1520/D6400-12. 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
2 5
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Code of Federal Regulations, available from U.S. Government Printing Office,
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Washington, DC 20402.
6
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from the Canadian Food Inspections Agency, Fertilizer Section,
the ASTM website. Ottawa, Canada
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1
---------------------- Page: 1 ------------------
...
This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:D6400–04 Designation: D6400 – 12
Standard Specification for
Compostable PlasticsLabeling of Plastics Designed to be
1
Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6400; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope*
1.1This specification covers plastics and products made from plastics that are designed to be composted in municipal and
industrial aerobic composting facilities.
1.2This specification is intended to establish the requirements for labeling of materials and products, including packaging made
from plastics, as “compostable in municipal and industrial composting facilities.”
1.3The properties in this specification are those required to determine if plastics and products made from plastics will compost
satisfactorily, including biodegrading at a rate comparable to known compostable materials. Further, the properties in the
specification are required to assure that the degradation of these materials will not diminish the value or utility of the compost
resulting from the composting process.
1.1 This specification covers plastics and products made from plastics that are designed to be composted under aerobic
conditions in municipal and industrial aerobic composting facilities, where thermophilic conditions are achieved.
1.2 Thisspecificationisintendedtoestablishtherequirementsforlabelingofmaterialsandproducts,includingpackagingmade
from plastics, as “compostable in aerobic municipal and industrial composting facilities.”
1.3 The properties in this specification are those required to determine if end items (including packaging), which use plastics
and polymers as coatings or binders will compost satisfactorily, in large scale aerobic municipal or industrial composting facilities.
Maximum throughput is a high priority to composters and the intermediate stages of plastic disintegration and biodegradation not
be visible to the end user for aesthetic reasons.
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains to the test methods portion of this standard: This standard does not purport
to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish
appropriate health and safety practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
NOTE1—No equivalent ISO specifications exist for this standard. 1—This test method is equivalent to ISO 17088.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
D5338 Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under Controlled Composting Conditions,
Incorporating Thermophilic Temperatures
D6002Guide for Assessing the Compostability of Environmentally Degradable Plastics Test Method for Determining Aerobic
Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under Controlled Composting Conditions, Incorporating Thermophilic Temperatures
3
2.2 Organization for Economic Development (OECD) Standard:
OECD Guideline 208Terrestrial Plants, Growth Test Terrestrial Plant Test: Seedling Emergence and Seedling Growth Test
4
2.3 Comite Europeen de Normalisation (CEN): EN 13432: 2000, 2000–CEN/TC 261/SC4N99 Packaging—Requirements for
Packaging Recoverable through Composting and Biodegradation—Test Scheme and Evaluation Criteria for the Final Acceptance
of Packaging (EN 13432)
EN 13432Requirements for Packaging Recoverable through Composting and Biodegradation—Test Scheme and Evaluation
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D20 on Plastics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.96 on Environmentally Degradable
Plastics and Biobased Products.
Current edition approved Sept. 1, 2004. Published September 2004. Originally approved in 1999. Last previous edition approved in 1999 as D6400-99. DOI:
10.1520/D6400-04.
Current edition approved May 15, 2012. Published May 2012. Originally approved in 1999. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as D6400 - 04. DOI:
10.1520/D6400-12.
2
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
3
Available from Organization for Econom
...
Questions, Comments and Discussion
Ask us and Technical Secretary will try to provide an answer. You can facilitate discussion about the standard in here.