CEN/TC 261/SC 4 - Degradability and organic recycling of packaging and packaging material

This document specifies a laboratory scale test method for determining the degree of disintegration of test items when exposed to well-managed home composting conditions by the weight evaluation method (WE method) using sieving and evaluation by weighing.
The test method is not applicable for the determination of the biodegradability of test items under home composting conditions. Additional testing is necessary for making claims concerning the suitability for home composting. This document is not appropriate for claims relating to the suitability for home composting.
This test method is carried out at laboratory scale under controlled conditions. Therefore, it does not reproduce any real home composting conditions, but it is devised to gain information on the potential of the test item to disintegrate sufficiently. A test item that passes this test is assumed to be capable of undergoing full disintegration in a 12 months home composting cycle carried out under well managed conditions. For features of well-managed home composting see EN 17427:2022, Annex E.

This document specifies a testing scheme and requirements for the designation of carrier bags of any materials that are considered to be suitable for incorporation into well-managed home composting installations for non-commercial purposes with a home composting cycle of normally at least 12 months. Carrier bags are considered as home compostable in a well-managed system only if all the individual components meet the requirements.
The following four aspects are addressed:
a )characterization;
b) biodegradation in well managed home composting;
c) disintegration in well managed home composting; and
d) home compost quality.
The four aspects, a) to d), are assessing the effects on the biological treatment process and the compost made by it.
This document forms the basis for the labelling of carrier bags that are considered to be suitable for the incorporation into well-managed home composting installations.
NOTE 1 Compliance with the requirements of this document by the carrier bags entering the compost does not necessarily imply that a high-quality compost will be produced.
This document covers the suitability of carrier bags for the incorporation into well managed home composting installations but does not address regulations that may exist regarding the suitability of anything disposed together with the carrier bag to home composting.
This document provides a set of guidance on the parameters, boundaries and processes required to engage in well managed, aerobic, home composting. Alternative composting methods and systems may not provide the conditions necessary for the successful home composting of carrier bags which comply with the requirements of this document.
NOTE 2 Additional general information about home composting is provided in Annex F.
The testing scheme and the requirements specified by this document do not apply to worm composting, industrial composting nor community composting. It also does not provide information on the biodegradability of carrier bags ending up in the environment as litter.
This document includes a reference to features of well-managed home composting (Annex E).
The compost produced via home composting by a private individual is for private use only and not for provision to others, free of charge or in return for payment. Therefore, this document has no value as a marketing authorization or authorization of use of the final compost.
NOTE 3 The testing scheme and evaluation criteria could be the basis for the establishment of suitability to home composting of other products.
NOTE 4 The purpose of testing activity b) is to demonstrate the potential for ultimate biodegradation of the test material when exposed to microbes active under mesophilic conditions (between 15 °C and 45 °C).
NOTE 5 The purpose of testing activity c) is to verify the thickness and/or grammage that allows a full disintegration of the test product in a period consistent with a home composting cycle, under defined environmental conditions. To allow for the potential for variations of local climatic conditions and consumer application of well-managed home composting techniques, lower than optimal temperature profile has been adopted for this test.

This document specifies the methodology and procedure for determining the presence and minimization of other dangerous substances in relation with Annex II Para 1 Indent 3 of Directive 94/62/EC. This document is intended to be of practical use, and to enable efficient application of Directive 94/62/EC, even for small and medium-sized companies in the packaging industry, providing them with a methodology for assessing compliance with the Directive.
This document cannot by itself provide presumption of conformity. The procedure for applying this document is contained in EN 13427.

This Technical Report establishes a set of best practice guidelines for undertaking those aspects of life cycle assessment specific to packaging and distribution systems.

This Report provides some examples of substances and materials that may cause a sustained impediment in the recycling activities, and is intended to assist in the assessment requirements set out in the standard EN 13430.
It describes substances or materials which cause problems or inhibit the recycling process, or which have a negative influence on the quality of recycled material, and for which it is considered that technological solutions will not be developed in the near future.
These examples are however qualified by the fact that the recycling operations can vary from region to region and state to state, that technology is constantly changing, and that the use to which the recycled material is put will also determine whether such substances and materials are a problem.

This Technical Report gives methods of assessing the performance of a reuse system related to the proportion of reused packaging in use. This may be measured by:
-   the average number of rotations during a calculation period and the lifetime; or
-   the reuse ratio.
The choice of method will vary according to the type of reuse system and information available.

This standard specifies the requirements for packaging to be classified as recoverable in the form of material recycling whilst accommodating the continuing development of both packaging and recovery technologies and sets out procedures for assessment of conformity with those requirements.
This standard cannot by itself provide presumption of conformity. The procedure for applying this standard is contained in EN 13427.

This European Standard specifies the requirements for a packaging to be classified as reusable and sets out procedures for assessment of conformity with those requirements including the associated systems.
This standard cannot by itself provide presumption of conformity. The procedure for applying this standard is contained in EN 13427.

This European Standard specifies the requirements for a packaging to be classified as recoverable in the form of energy and sets out procedures for assessment of conformity with those requirements. The scope is limited to factors under the control of the supplier.
This standard cannot by itself provide presumption of conformity. The procedure for applying this standard is contained in EN 13427.

This European Standard specifies a procedure for assessment of packaging to ensure that the weight and/or volume of its material content is at the minimum commensurate with the maintenance of :
-functionality throughout the supply and user chain ;
-safety and hygiene for both product and user/consumer ;
-acceptability of the packed product to the user/consumer.
This European Standard also specifies the methodology and procedure for determining the presence of the four heavy metals named in article 11 of the packaging and packaging waste Directive 94/62/EC and for determining the presence and minimisation of any dangerous substances or preparations if they are present in packaging and are likely to be released into the environment as a result of waste management operations. The procedures are referenced in CR 13695-1 and CR 13695-2.
NOTE   The substitution of one packaging material by another is not a basis for source reduction.
This standard cannot by itself provide presumption of conformity. The procedure for applying this standard is contained in EN 13427.

This European Standard specifies requirements and a procedure by which a person or organization responsible for placing packaging or packed product on the market (the supplier) may combine the application of five (mandated) packaging standards and one (mandated) CEN report (in two parts).

This standard defines the principal existing processes for material recycling and their inter-relationship. Both packaging and recovery technologies are subject to continuing and rapid development. This standard describes the present stage of knowledge but may be subject to modifications in the light of new developments. The essential relationship between this and the four other (mandated) European Packaging Standards and one (mandated) CEN Report is specified in the standard prEN 261265.

This draft European Standard establishes a methodology for the calculation of the rate of recycling of packaging and packaging material. Note: The packaging supply chain also use other ratios in the management of their operations. The flow diagrams used in the methodology set out in this draft Standard can be used in the evaluation of such other ratios and examples are given.

This standard defines a method for the calculation of the rate of energy recovery of combustible packaging waste.

This European Standard is used to evaluate the disintegration of packaging materials in a pilot-scale aerobic composting test under defined conditions. Other methods should be used to measure the biodegradability of the packaging materials. Packaging materials are mixed with biowaste and spontaneously composted for 12 weeks in practical oriented composting conditions. At the end of the composting cycle the disintegration is measured by sieving of the compost and the calculation of a mass balance. The influence of the tested sample on the quality of the compost can be be studied by using the compost obtained at the end of the composting process for further measurements such as chemical analyses and ecotoxicity tests.
Additionally this method can be used for visual perception and photographic documentation of the disintegration of packaging materials and for evaluating the effect of their addition on the composting process.

This European Standard specifies a method for the evaluation of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of packaging materials based on organic compounds under controlled composting conditions by measurement of released carbon dioxide at the end of the test. This method is designed to resemble typical aerobic composting conditions for the organic fraction of mixed municipal solid waste. The packaging material is exposed in a laboratory test to an inoculum which is derived from compost. The aerobic composting takes place in an environment where especially temperature, aeration and humidity are closely monitored and controlled. The test method is designed to yield a percentage and rate of conversion of carbon of the test material to released carbon dioxide.
The conditions described in this European Standard do not necessarily always correspond to the optimal conditions allowing the maximum degree of biodegradation to occur.

This standard specifies a method to evaluate the ultimate biodegradability of packaging materials and its constituents by measurement of O2-consumption.

This standard specifies a method to evaluate the ultimate biodegradability of packaging materials and its constituents by measurement of CO2 evolution.

This European Standard provides a glossary of preferred terms applicable to Packaging generally, each accompanied by its definition. Annex A identifies and explains twelve fundamental packaging terms employed in the framing of European Community Directives relating to packaging and packaging waste and which were also defined within that directive. It also includes a term from the Commission Decision on the Identification System for Packaging Materials. A list of equivalent terms, in the three official CEN Languages, is provided in Annex B.

This CEN report examines the marking of packaging and the identification of packaging material as described in article 8 of the packaging and packaging waste Directive 94/62/EC, the supporting Decision and the proposal for a Directive on Marking and makes recommendations based on article 10 of that Directive 94/62/EC.

The objective of this report is to identify and define properties of packaging and packaging waste to allow optimization of energy recovery.
This report takes a wide approach to the process of energy recovery in order to identify the items to be standardised according to the Directive and the Mandate.

This European Standard specifies requirements and procedures to determine the compostability and anaerobic treatability of packaging and packaging materials by addressing four characteristics: 1) biodegradability; 2) disintegration during biological treatment; 3) effect on the biological treatment process; 4) effect on the quality of the resulting compost. In case of a packaging formed by different components, some of which are compostable and some other not, the packaging itself, as a whole is not compostable.

This standard defines terms used in the field of Packaging and the Environment.

This Report addresses the criteria for a minimum content of recycled material in packaging for appropriate types of packaging, and deals with the criteria that will influence the acceptable level of recycled material and the methodology by which such content can be monitored.

This part 1 of the report is related to the four heavy metals specified in Art. 11 of the Directive: lead, cadmium, chromium (VI) and mercury. A second part of this CEN-report is related to the need to assess other dangerous substances present in packaging.

No scope available

This document covers the design of EPS rigid packaging with respect to compatibility of the design with the collecting, sorting, and recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PS are also covered by this document as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.

This document covers the design of PET rigid packaging (except bottles) with respect to compatibility of the design with the collecting, sorting, and recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PET are also covered by this standard as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.

This document covers the design of PE and PP rigid packaging with respect to compatibility of the design with the collecting, sorting, and recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PE and PP are also covered by this standard as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.

This document is an input for a standard on the recyclability evaluation process of plastic packaging with respect to compatibility of the design with the collecting and sorting processes for the plastic used.
This document covers any household plastic packaging where the main body is made of PET, PE, PP or PS material.

This document covers recyclability evaluation process guidance for PS and XPS packaging with respect to compatibility of the design with recycling processes for the polymers used.

This document covers the design of EPS packaging with respect to compatibility of the design with recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than EPS are also covered by this document as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.

This document covers the design of PET pots and trays with respect to compatibility of the design with recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PET are also covered by this document as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.

This document covers the design of PE and PP flexible packaging with respect to compatibility of the design with recycling processes available for PE and PP packaging.
Packaging constituents and components used in/on PE and PP flexible packaging but made of materials other than PE and PP are also covered by this document as these need to be evaluated for compatibility with PE and PP mechanical recycling processes.

This document provides requirements for the evaluation process for PET Bottles with
respect to compatibility of the design with recycling processes.
Packaging components and ancillary elements made of other materials than PET are also covered by this document as they need to be evaluated for compatibility with the recycling processes.

This document covers the design of PET bottles with respect to compatibility of the design with the collecting, sorting, and recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PET are also covered by this standard as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.

This document covers the design of PE and PP flexible packaging with respect to compatibility of the design with the collecting, sorting, and recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PE and PP are also covered by this document as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.

This document covers the design of PE and PP rigid with respect to compatibility of the design with recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PE and PP are also covered by this document as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.

This document covers the design of PS and XPS rigid packaging with respect to compatibility of the design with the collecting, sorting, and recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PS are also covered by this document as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.

This document provides a process that manages the identification of the level of compatibility of plastic packaging features with collection, sorting and recycling, describing the level of compatibility as fully, limited, and not recyclable.
This standard covers any plastic packaging where the main body is made of plastic material. It targets to harmonize the design for recycling standard approach for each resin.

This document specifies the methodology and procedure for determining the presence and minimisation of other dangerous substances in relation with Annex II Para 1 Indent 3 of Directive 94/62/EC. This document is intended to be of practical use, and to enable efficient application of the Directive 94/62/EC, even for small and medium sized companies in the packaging industry, providing them with a methodology for assessing compliance with the Directive.
This document cannot by itself provide presumption of conformity. The procedure for applying this document is contained in EN 13427.

This laboratory scale test method using synthetic waste aims at simulating the environmental conditions found in industrial composting plants. Packaging materials exposed to this environment can be preliminary assessed for disintegrability. A negative result does not necessarily mean that the test material is not disintegrating under industrial composting conditions. This test does not replace the acceptance disintegration test as specified in EN 14045, in accordance with EN 13432.

The scope of the CEN report is to establish a set of guidelines of best practice for undertaking those aspects of life cycle assessment specific to packaging and distribution systems.

Migrated from Progress Sheet (TC Comment) (2000-07-10): CEN report approved by Resolution BT C 89/1999 (CHH/99-06-16) ++ !!! DOR = 1999-05-26 !!!

This Technical Report gives methods of assessing the performance of a reuse system related to the proportion of reused packaging in use. This may be measured by:
-   the number of rotations or;
-   the reuse ratio.
The choice of method will vary according to the type of reuse system and information available.

Migrated from Progress Sheet (TC Comment) (2000-07-10): WIs 266-267 = result of the splitting of WI 240 (TC Res C 12/1998) (CC/980806) ++ Res BT 27/2000: Publication of CR approved (CC/000616) ++ Res BT C14/2001: approves resubmission of CR for publication (CC/010403)

The scope of this European Standard is to specify the requirements for a packaging to be energy recoverable and to identify the necessary procedures for a supplier placing packaging on the market to claim conformity with these requirements. This European Standard specifies the requirements for a packaging to be classified as recoverable in the form of energy and sets out procedures for assessment of conformity with those requirements. The scope is limited to what is under control of the supplier. The procedure for applying this standard is contained in prEN 13427:2000.

This European Standard specifies the requirements for a packaging to be classified as reusable and sets out procedures for assessment of conformity with those requirements including the associated systems. The procedure for applying this standard is contained in prEN 13427:2000.

This standard specifies the requirements for packaging to be classified as recoverable in the form of material recycling whilst accomodating the continuing development of both packaging and recovery technologies and seats out procedures for assessment of conformity with those requirements. The procedure for applying this standard is contained in prEN 13427:2000.

This European Standard specifies a procedure for assessment of packaging to ensure that the weight and/or volume of its material content is at the minimum commensurate with the maintenance of: functionality throughout the supply and user chain; safety and hygiene for both product and consumer/user; acceptability of the packed product to the consumer/user. The substitution of one material by another is not a basis for source reduction.