Unveiling the Hidden Truth: The Industrial Composting Mirage

Jul 18
3 min read

Let me paint you a picture. It’s a beautiful day. Birds are chirping, the sun’s out, and you’re tossing a compostable fork into the bin, feeling like a certified eco-warrior. But what if I told you that very fork is about to embark on a journey of deception so twisted, it would make a con artist blush? Industrial compostable plastics—the so-called heroes of sustainability—are nothing but wolves in green sheep’s clothing. Let’s cut through the fluff and see what’s really going on.

Industrial Composting Certifications: Greenwashed Snake Oil

First off, let’s talk about those fancy labels:

BPI Certification
OK Compost INDUSTRIAL
DIN-Geprüft industrially compostable
Seedling Certification
Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA)
ASTM D6400
EN 13432

They sound legit, don’t they? (full names below). They promise these new "biodegradable" plastics will dissolve into the earth like some kind of magical elixir of environmental redemption—but only under conditions found in industrial composting facilities. That’s 60–70°C of sustained heat, specific humidity levels, and a time frame tighter than my grandma’s Tupperware lid. Spoiler alert: most places don’t have these facilities. In fact, unless you live next door to one, your compostable plastic is headed for the landfill or, better yet, the ocean—where it’ll sit around for decades, laughing at your attempt to do good.

And here’s the kicker: even in those rare industrial facilities, the process isn’t as sweet as it sounds. Breaking down these plastics often releases microplastics and chemicals that make your average oil spill look like a minor hiccup. It’s the environmental equivalent of setting your house on fire to get rid of termites. Sure, the termites are gone, but now you’re homeless.

Certifications Overview

BPI Certification: This certification ensures that products can be composted in commercial facilities according to ASTM standards. It indicates that the product will break down without leaving harmful residues when processed in a commercial composting environment.

OK Compost INDUSTRIAL: Products with this certification are intended to decompose completely in industrial composting facilities, which operate under controlled conditions like higher temperatures.

DIN-Geprüft industrially compostable: Similar to other industrial certifications, this ensures that products can be composted in an industrial setting, based on standards like EN 13432.

Seedling Certification: This certification is recognized globally and is based on standards like EN 13432 or ASTM D6400. It guarantees that products will decompose under industrial composting conditions without harming the environment.

Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA): CMA provides additional assurance through field disintegration testing in real-world composting facilities, ensuring products can withstand actual processing conditions.

ASTM D6400: This standard specifies that products must biodegrade to at least 90% within 180 days in a commercial composting facility. It ensures that the product breaks down into non-toxic components like carbon dioxide, water, and biomass.

EN 13432: A European standard that requires materials to biodegrade and disintegrate under industrial composting conditions. It also mandates that the resulting compost should not have adverse effects on plant growth or soil quality.

Home Composting: A Fairy Tale with a Rotten Ending

“But Jules,” you say, “what about home composting?” Well, bless your optimistic little heart, because that’s just adorable. For a plastic product to decompose in your backyard pile of potato peels and coffee grounds, it needs a TÜV Austria OK Compost HOME certification. They are seemingly the only honest player in the ecosystem.

This certification is about as rare as a vegan at a barbecue. Most of the “compostable” plastics on the market don’t qualify, and without that label, you’re just burying trash and calling it a day. Try throwing one of these so-called green products into your compost and watch it sit there for years, unchanged, like some dystopian time capsule of our collective gullibility.

Ocean Composting: The Holy Grail of Recycling

Now, let’s talk oceans. These ain’t your backyard, so don’t bring that amateur hour mentality to the big leagues. Just like composting needs its badge of honor, products claiming to degrade in marine environments need certifications that mean something. My research team at Oceanburn could find only two certifications that don’t just hand out gold stars for participation—they make sure your product won’t haunt a turtle’s nightmares for decades.

First up, the TÜV Austria OK Biodegradable Marine. This one ensures that your product knows how to behave in saltwater. Rigorous lab tests put these materials through their paces, ensuring they break down into harmless elements under marine conditions. So, if your packaging or fishing gear ends up in the ocean, it won’t become an eternal eyesore or a death trap for aquatic life.

Then there’s the DIN CERTCO certification. This bad boy is based on ISO 22403, the global standard for determining if a product’s biodegradable claims can swim or sink. It checks for everything—biodegradability rates, marine ecotoxicity, and even chemical composition. You slap that "DINplus" mark on your product, and it’s like getting a Marine MVP trophy for not screwing up the ecosystem.

So, when it comes to saving the seas, don’t half-ass it.

Either you’re in the game with certified products, or you’re just throwing more junk into the blue abyss. Be the shepherd guiding these lost products toward righteousness—or at least toward responsible disposal. Anything less, and you’re just part of the problem.

The Bigger Picture: Waste Management in Shambles

Here’s the real punchline: even if these plastics could break down, our waste systems are a joke. Most municipalities are barely keeping up with basic recycling, let alone managing the nuanced demands of compostable plastics. It’s like asking a toddler to solve a Rubik’s Cube—they’ll try, but it’s gonna end in a mess. So instead of a sustainable solution, we’ve created a whole new problem: mislabeled trash that confuses everyone and helps no one. These items end up incinerated, tossed in landfills, or floating in the ocean, turning our planet into one giant garbage piñata.

Oceanburn’s Vision: Cutting Through the Crap

Now, while the world fumbles with fake solutions, Oceanburn is out here doing the real work. Take our partnership with RanMarine’s WasteShark drones. These bad boys cruise the waterways, gobbling up waste like robotic Pac-Men. Not only do they clean up trash, but they also monitor water quality, making them the multitasking heroes we desperately need. Compare that to a certified compostable spoon choking a sea turtle, and tell me who the real MVP is.

We’re not stopping there. Oceanburn is exploring next-level solutions like oil-eating fungi and enzyme-based plastics that actually degrade without destroying ecosystems. Imagine a world where innovation isn’t just a buzzword but an actual solution. That’s what we’re about.

Moving Forward: Enough Talk, More Action

Here’s the deal: we don’t need more marketing gimmicks. We need results. So, what do we do?

Invest in Real Tech: Forget the certifications. WasteShark, fungi, and TÜV Austria OK Compost HOME certified products are the path forward.
Overhaul Waste Systems: Build infrastructure that can handle these materials and educate people on how to use it. Don’t just toss your trash and pray for miracles.
Demand Truth: Call out the companies pushing half-baked solutions. If your product is eco-friendly only under conditions that don’t exist, then guess what? It ain’t eco-friendly.

At Oceanburn, we’re done with the BS. We’re here to clean up the mess—literally and figuratively. Want to make a difference? Buy a Plastic Free Living Bundle. Or keep sipping your fake-compostable-strawed latte while the planet burns. Either way, the clock’s ticking, and we’re here to do what needs to be done.

Join Animal Feelings and Oceanfox as they try to figure this mess out.

Become a Plastic Life Ambassador. The microplastics are in your reproductive organs.

Activate

Sources

Industrial Composting Certifications: Greenwashed Snake Oil

Industrial Composting Certifications: Greenwashed Snake Oil

Certifications Overview

Home Composting: A Fairy Tale with a Rotten Ending

Home Composting: A Fairy Tale with a Rotten Ending

Ocean Composting: The Holy Grail of Recycling

Ocean Composting: The Holy Grail of Recycling

So, when it comes to saving the seas, don’t half-ass it.

The Bigger Picture: Waste Management in Shambles

The Bigger Picture: Waste Management in Shambles

Oceanburn’s Vision: Cutting Through the Crap

Oceanburn’s Vision: Cutting Through the Crap

Moving Forward: Enough Talk, More Action

Moving Forward: Enough Talk, More Action

Sources

Sources

General Composting and Certification Resources:

Marine Biodegradability and Standards:

Certification Guides and Details: