ASTM D6400-99e1
(Specification)Standard Specification for Compostable Plastics
Standard Specification for Compostable Plastics
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers plastics and products made from plastics that are designed to be composted in municipal and industrial aerobic composting facilities.
1.2 This 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."
1.3 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. 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.
1.4 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—No equivalent ISO specifications exist for this standard.
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e1
Designation: D 6400 – 99
Standard Specification for
Compostable Plastics
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 6400; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
e NOTE—Editorially corrected standard listed under 2.3 in April 2002.
1. Scope OECD Guideline 208 Terrestrial Plants, Growth Test
2.3 Comite Europeen de Normalisation (CEN) Draft:
1.1 This specification covers plastics and products made
CEN/TC 261/SC4N99 Packaging—Requirements for
from plastics that are designed to be composted in municipal
Packaging Recoverable through Composting and
and industrial aerobic composting facilities.
Biodegradation—Test Scheme and Evaluation Criteria for
1.2 This specification is intended to establish the require-
the Final Acceptance of Packaging (prEN 13432)
ments for labeling of materials and products, including pack-
2.4 ISO Standard:
aging made from plastics, as “compostable in municipal and
ISO 14855 Evaluation of the Ultimate Aerobic Biodegrad-
industrial composting facilities.”
ability and Disintegration of Plastics under Controlled
1.3 The properties in this specification are those required to
Composting Conditions—Method by Analysis of Evolved
determine if plastics and products made from plastics will
Carbon Dioxide
compost satisfactorily, including biodegrading at a rate com-
2.5 Government Standard:
parable to known compostable materials. Further, the proper-
40 CFR Part 503.13 Standards for the Use or Disposal of
ties in the specification are required to assure that the degra-
Sewage Sludge
dation of these materials will not diminish the value or utility
of the compost resulting from the composting process.
3. Terminology
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains to the test
3.1 Definitions—Definitions appearing in this specification
methods portion of this standard: This standard does not
are found in Terminology D 883, unless otherwise noted.
purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated
3.1.1 biodegradable plastic—a degradable plastic in which
with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard
the degradation results from the action of naturally occurring
to establish appropriate health and safety practices and to
microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae.
determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to
3.1.2 compostable plastic—a plastic that undergoes degra-
use.
dation by biological processes during composting to yield CO ,
NOTE 1—No equivalent ISO specifications exist for this standard.
water, inorganic compounds, and biomass at a rate consistent
with other known compostable materials and leave no visible,
2. Referenced Documents
distinguishable or toxic residue.
2.1 ASTM Standards: 7
3.1.3 composting —a managed process that controls the
D 883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
biological decomposition and transformation of biodegradable
D 5338 Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegrada-
materials into a humus-like substance called compost: the
tion of Plastic Materials Under Controlled Composting
aerobic mesophilic and thermophilic degradation of organic
Conditions
matter to make compost; the transformation of biologically
D 6002 Guide for Assessing the Compostability of Environ-
decomposable material through a controlled process of biooxi-
mentally Degradable Plastics
dation that proceed through mesophilic and thermophilic
2.2 Organization for Economic Development (OECD)
phases and results in the production of carbon dioxide, water,
Standard:
minerals, and stabilized organic matter (compost or humus).
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-20 on
Plastics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.96 on Environmen-
tally Degradable Plastics. Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th
Current edition approved April 10, 1999. Published May 1999. Floor, New York, NY 10036.
2 6
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.01. Code of Federal Regulations, available from U.S. Government Printing Office,
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.03. Washington, DC 20402.
4 7
Available from Organization for Economic Development, Director of Informa- Compost Facility Operating Guide, Composting Council, Alexandria, VA,
tion, 2 rue Andre8 Pascal, 75775 Paris Cedex 16, France. 1995.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D 6400
3.1.3.1 Discussion—Composting uses a natural process to 6. Detailed Requirements
stabilize mixed decomposable organic material recovered from
6.1 In order to be identified as compostable, products must
municipal solid waste, yard trimmings, biosolids (digested
pass the requirements of 6.2, 6.3, and 6.4 using the appropriate
sewage sludge), certain industrial residues and commercial
laboratory tests, representative of the conditions found in
residues.
aerobic composting facilities. Products and finished articles
3.1.4 degradable plastic—a plastic designed to undergo a
should be tested in the same form as they are intended to be
significant change in its chemical structure under specific
used. For products that are made in multiple thicknesses or
environmental conditions, resulting in a loss of some properties
densities, such as films, containers and foams, only the thickest
that may be measured by standard test methods appropriate to
or most dense products need to be tested as long as the
the plastic and the application in a period of time that
chemical composition and structure remains otherwise the
determines its classification.
same. It is assumed that thinner gages and lower densities will
3.1.5 plastic—a material that contains as an essential ingre-
also compost satisfactorily. Similarly, if additives are present in
dient one or more organic polymeric substances of large
test samples that pass testing, lower levels of the same
molecular weight, is solid in i
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