150 years

Certified compostable productsPast and New Developments

Produits compostables certifiésDéveloppements passés et nouveaux

Compost Council of Canada Conference 2015

Conférence 2015, Conseil canadien du compost

Presented by:

Isaul Lopez

Biopolymers Sales & Business Development Canada

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Objectives:

Learn about:

• Sustainability and Composting

• Certified compostable products, market

challenges and guidelines.

• Past and new developments, how they

can help to improve compost quality.

En savoir plus sur:

• Développement durable et compostage

• Produits compostables certifiés, défis du

marché, lignes directrices

• Développements passés et nouveaux,

et comment ils peuvent aider à

améliorer la qualité du compost

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Sustainability and composting

Développement durable et

compostage

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Une réalité incontournable

Plus de consommation mais une seule Terre, neuf

milliards de personnes en 2050

Resources, Environment & ClimateRessources, environnement et climat

Food & NutritionAliments et nutrition

Quality of LifeQualité de vie

Sustainability is more and more important Le développement durable est de plus en plus important

Fundamental Truth

More consumption but only one Earth, nine billion people

by 2050

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Composting = Organics Recycling

Compostage = recyclage de matières organiques

Certified

Compostable

products

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Source: JRC (2011) Supporting Environmentally Sound Decisions for Bio-Waste Management.

A practical guide to Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) ISBN 978-92-79-21019-8

CLOSED-LOOP SYSTEM

OPEN-LOOP SYSTEM

Waste hierarchy applied to organic-waste

Hiérarchie des déchets, appliquée aux déchets organiques

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Results of Eco-Efficiency

Analysis showed that

diversion of organic waste

from landfills to composting

results in lower environmental

impacts and has better total

economic value.

Eco-Efficiency Analysis

Evaluates both environmental impacts and total cost

L’analyse de l’écoefficacité évalue à la fois les

répercussions environnementales et le coût total

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Source Separated Collection of Organic Waste Makes Sense

La collecte sélective de déchets organiques, c’est logique

Composting

Source: ROUGH calculations by BASF not third party verified

System boundaries: A person uses a bag to collect 1 kg of organic kitchen waste. If PE bag is used, both waste and the bag are disposed off in landfill or incineration

plant; if ecovio bag is used, organic waste is composted together with the bag.

Assumptions: Incineration of organic kitchen waste is assumed to be without energy recovery (heating value is 3,6 MJ/kg, accepted from the Critical Review Panel on the

EEA study of “2 in 1” bag). Energy recovery by incineration of the PE bag is included but of no relevance. In the composting scenario, it is assumed that fertilizers are

substituted.

Results range: 10% uncertainty

Landfill

Incineration

Composting

Organic kitchen waste

2366 - 2892

1694 - 2070

390 - 477

Greenhouse gas emissions in

CO2 equivalents from 1kg

organic kitchen waste [grams]

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Certified Compostable products act as carrying media for organic

waste and increase diversion, but there are still some barriers to

their acceptance, education and guidelines are needed.

Les produits compostables certifiés agissent comme support

porteur pour les déchets organiques et augmentent le

détournement, mais il y a encore quelques obstacles à leur

acceptation; de l'éducation et des lignes directrices sont requises.

• Confusion between Bio-degradable and Compostable

• Confusion between Bio-based and Compostable

• What is a certified compostable product?

• Would they compost in my facility?

• Can’t differentiate them from non-compostable

Market Challenges

Défis du marché

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Glossary:

Glossaire:

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Biodegradable (Oxford dictionary): Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or

other living organisms.

Biodegradation (Recyc-Québec): Degradation caused by biological activity, in

particular by enzymatic action causing a significant change in the chemical

structure of a material (BNQ 9011-911 / 2007)

Compostable (Recyc-Québec): Which biodegrades under the action of

microorganisms and is certified according to recognized standards on

compostable products including the Canadian standard CAN / BNQ 0017-088.

Biodégradable (Oxford dictionary): Capable d'être décomposé par des

bactéries ou d'autres organismes vivants.

Biodégradation (Recyc-Québec): Dégradation causée par une activité

biologique, en particulier par une action enzymatique entraînant une modification

significative de la structure chimique d’un matériau (BNQ 9011-911/2007)

Compostable (Recyc-Québec): Qui se biodégrade sous l’action des

microorganismes et qui est certifié selon les normes reconnues sur les produits

compostables, dont la norme canadienne CAN/BNQ 0017-088

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Fossil, Bio-based & Compostable Polymers

Polymères dérivés du pétrole, d’origine biologique et compostables

Not compostable Compostable

Renewable raw materials

Fossil raw materials

PBAT

PBS

PCL

PBAT

PBS

PCL

PLA

PHA‘s

Starch

blends

PE

PP

PVC

Bio-PE

Bio-PA

Bio-PUR

Bio-PP

Bio-PVC

cf: Hans-Josef Endres,

Technische Biopolymere, 2009

(p. 21)

PLA

PHA‘s

Starch

blends

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CERTIFIED COMPOSTABLE

COMPOSTABLE CERTIFIÉ

CAN/BNQ 0017-088

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Certified compostable products:

Produits compostables certifiés:

• Comply to Canadian BNQ (CAN/BNQ 0017-088) and ASTM 6400

Specifications for Certified Compostable Bags and Products

• Biodegrade in aerobic industrial composting process, such is not readily

distinguishable from the other organic materials in the finished compost.

• Have no adverse effect on the ability of the compost to support plant

growth.

• After 84 days no more than 10% of the original dry mass remains after

passing through a 2.0 mm sieve

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Would they compost in my facility?

Seront-ils compostables dans mon site?

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TEST them (example Ref. BioCycle June 2015, p 51 Cedar Grove):

Certified Compostable products biodegrade in Aerobic composting

process; (windrow, static pile, open and enclosed, etc.) and convert

into CO2, biomass, water. Rate would depend on length and

conditions of the active phase Note: inquire with the Certified Compostable

Committee (CCC & MWA) if any test has been done.

Aerobic*: When living organisms that use oxygen feed upon organic matter,

organic material decomposing with oxygen is an "aerobic" process. Carbon

serves as a source of energy for organisms and is burned up and respired as

carbon dioxide (CO2).

*Ref. Whasington State University, whatcom county extension

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Would they compost in my facility?

Seront-ils compostables dans mon site?

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TEST them cont, certified compostable products:

Do not disturb Dry Anaerobic Digestion process as they biodegrade

at the digestate aerobic composting stage. Note: inquire with the Certified

Compostable Committee (CCC & MWA) if any test has been done.

Anaerobic*: Composting without oxygen results in fermentation. This causes

organic compounds to break down by the action of living anaerobic organisms.

Carbon from organic compounds is released mainly as methane gas (CH4).

Intensive reduction of organic matter by putrefaction is usually accompanied by

unpleasant odors.

*Ref. Whasington State University, whatcom county extension

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ecovio® Based Bags in AD Facilities

Sacs à base d’ecovioMD dans des sites de DA

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DRY AD “plug flow plant ” “wet plant”

Organic waste and

ecovio productsOrganic waste and

ecovio products

Biogasification

plant

Composting

Plant

Farming

Biogasification

plant

Farming

SortingSorting

Landfill

Compostable plastics sorted out

and directly composted

All compostable plastics

are sorted out and

landfilled or incinerated

No composting step

involved and the value

“compostability” cannot

be achieved

DRY AD “box plant”

Biogasification plant

Composting

Plant

Organic waste and

ecovio products

Farming

Organic waste and compostable

plastics both processed in

biogasification plant

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Canada AD and Compost Site Contamination StudyÉtude sur la contamination d’un site de DA et de compostage

au Canada

Joint study with large Canadian DRY AD/Composter

with >3 MM population

Testing of plastic contamination from…

Post AD, Feedstock, Overs, Finished product, turned windrows

Reference PBAT, PHA samples provided by BASF

~ 50 samples collected by site management and tested by

independent laboratory to identify the plastic material

Results (2 reference samples)

PE, PBAT found in Post AD sampling (2 samples)

PE, PBAT found in feedstock samples (7)

PE, PP found in Overs samples (14)

PE, PP found in finished product samples (12)

PE found in turned windrow samples (12)

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Outcome – no compostable material found at end of composting process despite being present at the input.

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“Can’t differentiate them from other bags”

Action & Collaboration needed from Stakeholders

«On ne peut pas les différencier des autres sacs»

Action et collaboration nécessaires des parties prenantes

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Suggested differentiation for certified compostable bags

• Translucent clear or greenish tint bag to allow content to

be seen through

• With Prominent BNQ &/or BPI certification logo, (or

repeated BNQ&/or BPI logos) for easy recognition &

differentiation by consumers, haulers, composters.

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“Can’t differentiate them from others”

Action & Collaboration needed from Stakeholders

«On ne peut pas les différencier des autres»

Action et collaboration nécessaires des parties prenantes

Working group, Certified Compostable Committee

(CCC+MWA) on guidelines on labelling and differentiation

of certified compostable products vs. non-certified

Would need regulation reinforcement on unsubstantiated

biodegradable claims according to National Standard of

Canada CAN/CSA-ISO 14021 “Self Declared Environmental

Claims and Labels

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Past and new Developments

Développements passés et nouveaux

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BASF’s View of the Future Canadian Compost Market

Vision prospective du marché canadien du compostage, selon

BASF

• Growth in SSO. Residential,

ICI, and at Home.

• More compostable consumer

packaging in the market

• Value of compost going higher

• Growth in Ag applications

• Growth in Biogas +

composting

• Croissance des matières

organiques séparées à la source

(construction industrielle et

résidentielle, à la maison)

• Plus d’emballages

compostables sur le marché

• Hausse de la valeur du compost

• Croissance des applications

agro

• Croissance des biogaz et du

compostage

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Mulch Film

ecovio® for Certified Compostable Products

ecovioMD pour produits compostables certifiés

2 in 1 shopping bags Paper Coating

Organics Waste

Can Liners

Fruit & vegetable bag

& NettingCoffee packaging

Coffee packaging

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• Translucent to view contents

• Bag breathes, allows oxygen (O2) in and permits water vapor to leave the bag

reducing moisture content up to 25% - 50% in five days - reducing

odorous anaerobic conditions

• Weather resistant

• Act as carrying media for organic waste, make the collection cleaner,

safer, easier, and increase participation rate, by minimizing

contact with organic waste, reducing odors, and controlling insect

infestation.

• Recognized with CAN/BNQ & BPI “Mark of Certification” at curb from other

plastic bags

• Can be treated the same as organic contents for efficiency in feedstock

preparation

• Help reduce plastic contamination in compost

ecovio® Based Certified Compostable Bags

Sacs compostables certifiés à base d’ecovioMD

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Multi-Res, Pilot Study, San Francisco

Projet pilote : immeubles d’habitation, San Francisco

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Multi-Res, Pilot Study, San Francisco

Projet pilote : immeubles d’habitation, San Francisco

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Packaging Application; coffee

Application : conditionnement du café

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Challenge:Coffee packaging is often made of different

materials/structures, including multi-layers of different

plastics, that hold or are in contact with coffee. They

end up in landfill as they are difficult to recycle and

separate from the organic residue. The larger part of a

used coffee pod is water and coffee, the smaller being

the packaging itself.

Alternative:A Compostable coffee packaging that can be diverted

from landfill.

BenefitsWaste Reduction, reduction of greenhouse gases into

the atmosphere, resource creation and product

stewardship by ending the pods lifecycle.

Coffee capsules made of ecovio®

Swiss Coffee Company with beanarella

winner of the golden „IDEE SUISSE AWARD 2013“

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Agricultural application; mulch film

Application agricole : paillis

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Challenge: PE mulch film, is used in farming for

weed and irrigation water control. PE film breaks into

pieces over time which contaminates the soil and

must be removed and disposed after harvest.

Alternative:A biodegradable mulch film made with ecovio® offers

a sustainable replacement for traditional PE mulch

film, The biodegradable mulch film degrades

naturally into the soil after harvest when tilted under.

Benefits:Decreased labour and disposal costs

Prevents soil plastic contamination

Decreased use of irrigation water

Waste reduction as film is soil bio-degradable

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Certified compostable products can help

reduce contamination of compost.

Les produits compostables certifiés peuvent

aider à réduire la contamination du compost.

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• Fruit stickers, bread tags, straws… could be certified

compostable…if demand is present

Who supplies them? Google search

• Fruit sticker;

Sinclair Systems International LLC http://www.sinclair-intl.com introduced a

compostable fruit label. Doug Ohlemeier October 15, 2012

• Bread tags; Google search, no compostable bread tag found

Kwik Lok Corporation, http://www.kwiklok.com/

• Straws; Earth Straws, EcoProducts

http://www.earthstraws.com/,

http://www.ecoproducts.com/compostable_straws.html

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Conclusions

1. Organics diversion from landfill is sustainable.

2. The use of certified compostable bags increase participation rate

because it makes the process of organics residuals recycling cleaner,

safer, easier.

3. Compostable products should be certified by the Bureau de

normalisation du Québec (BNQ) &/or BPI, and should display the BNQ

&/or BPI logo in a manner that is prominent and easily identifiable.

4. The testing done to achieve BNQ &/or BPI certification demonstrates

that they disintegrate during composting and do not result in any

products that are harmful to humans, plants or the environment.

5. More Certified compostable products would enter the market, basic

guidelines for differentiation versus non compostable are needed.

6. Testing at North American composting sites shows that certified

compostable products are not contaminants in finished compost

streams.

7. Certified compostable products can help reduce plastic contamination

of compost.

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Disclaimer

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Thank you

Merci

Questions?

Isaul.lopez@basf.com

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