The test programmes for EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 confirm the suitability of a material for composting in an industrial composting plant. In this situation, the conditions are optimised for biodegradation at a temperature of ca. 58ºC.
In many countries however, consumers actively compost their garden waste at home, either in compost bins or heaps, eliminating the need for collection. These processes are more variable due to lower temperatures (rarely more than 2 to 3C above ambient temperature) at less optimised conditions. Under these conditions, certain compostable materials do not exhibit sufficient biodegradation.
NatureFlex™ films have been tested and approved to the OK Compost Home Standard, which repeats the EN 13432 test protocol at ambient temperatures, albeit over a longer time frame. They can therefore be successfully composted in a home composting environment and typically break down in just a few weeks.
Soil and Waste Water Biodegradation
The NatureFlex™ NE30 grade has been tested to the MITI aqueous biodegradation test (ISO 14851) which demonstrates that it will also break down in waste water and in soil, as well as under home composting conditions.
Anaerobic Digestion
All families of NatureFlex™ films have been tested to ISO 15985 (High solids anaerobic digestion test) at 52ºC. After 15 days all the films exceeded the test requirements, reaching a similar level of biodegradation to the reference.
Marine Biodegradation
All NatureFlex™ films have successfully been screened for biodegradation and disintegration in seawater, according to ASTM D 7801-05 and ASTM D 6691-09.