A standard for compostable plastic: It's in the bag

2007-10-18

You may find one littered along the highway, caught in the branches of a majestic Oak or stuffed into the back of a kitchen cupboard. The lowly plastic bag is often the subject of public scrutiny.

According to Don Jardine, director of pollution prevention with Prince Edward Island’s, Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry, even those plastic bags that manufacturers claim are biodegradable can take years to decompose at composting sites or landfills. When you consider the more than 13.5 million households in Canada*, with possible cupboards full of plastic bags, the challenge for provincial and municipal governments is an obvious one.

“Companies are using their own standards,” Jardine explains. “It may say biodegrade, even if it takes 15 years.” In order to ensure conformity within the industry, there needs to be agreement on the definition, acceptable timeframe and other requirements for compostable plastic. The existence of a commonly accepted standard is the first step to being able to verify conformity to that standard. “We’re trying to resolve that, so when a consumer buys a biodegradable or compostable bag, it has passed the testing requirement,” adds Jardine.

The work started a year-and-a half ago. Recyc-Québec wanted a process to certify the compostability of plastic bags and to make it easier to distinguish those bags from others on the market.

“Some producers were declaring that their plastics were compostable or biodegradable,” says Sylvain Allard, Standard Developer, Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ). “Recyc-Québec asked (us) for a program to identify only those bags that are really compostable.”

The Composting Council of Canada was also invited to take part. With the intent of developing a national program for compostable bags, a comprehensive group of stakeholders, including people in the plastics, grocery distributing and environmental industries, was brought together.

A certification program was developed based on the international draft standard (ISO/FDIS 17088). Existing research and information was used, in combination with the international document, to create a workable certification program for Canada.

“A lot of the discussion was around the fact that if a bag is going to be compostable, it has to fit within the principles of composting and the end product: compost. One of the key considerations was the national Canadian standard on compost and the reality of a composting process.” says Susan Antler, Executive Director of The Composting Council of Canada. While composting may eventually happen, the timeframe becomes the critical factor. “A bag might be able to compost within three years but that doesn’t cut it for the parameters we discussed,” she adds.

Even after the program launches, the Composting Council of Canada and BNQ recognize the need to continue to collaborate in marketing and education about certification.

The certification program applies to plastic bags made from different types of plastics that may be, for example, from fossil or non-fossil resources. It is expected that some companies will need to make only subtle, if any, changes. For others, significant changes will be required.

Christian Tardif, Responsable d’Activité for BNQ expects this program to be well accepted by the public. “This is a third-party certification that will be recognized within the National Standards System by the Standards Council of Canada,” says Tardif.

A certification mark will help clearly identify plastic bags as meeting the requirements of the program, making things easier for both consumers and those working in composting sites. Proof of conformity to the compostable plastic standards will be right on the bag.

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*Statistics Canada, Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, 2001 and 1996 Censuses

This article first appeared in volume 34 of CONSENSUS Magazine, 2007. The information it contains was accurate at the time of publication but has not been updated or revised since, and may not reflect the latest updates on the topic. If you have specific questions or concerns about the content, please contact the Standards Council of Canada.

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