New Test Method for Determining Industrial Compost Disintegration of Materials and Products in the Field
1. Scope
1.1 This test method determines the degree and rate of disintegration of plastic materials on exposure in an actual industrial compost facility under that facility’s standard operating conditions. This test method is designed to yield reproducible and repeatable test results for each type of industrial composting facility. However since no standard operating condition existis for the many types of industrial composting facilities, the test results for one type of industrial compost facility may not mirror that of another type (e.g. aerated static pile versus in-vessel composting).
NOTE 1—During composting, thermophilic temperatures are most readily achieved in large-scale, professionally-managed facilities. However, these temperatures may also be reached in smaller residential composting units, frequently referred to as “backyard” or “home” composting.
1.2 This test method is designed to yield a disintegration percentage of the sample by comparing the initial sample volume versus the sample volume after testing.
1.3 This test method is designed to be applicable to all materials and products, which are intended to be composted in facilities that achieve thermophilic temperatures.
Keywords
disintegration; industrial composting; field testing
Rationale
Why: to determine the actual industrial compostability of materials and products in the field; industrial composters use varying process conditions that affect the ability to compost in the different types of composters
How: test actual material and product samples in industrial composting operations
Users: industrial composters. certification agencies, regulatory agencies
