Additives according to DIN EN 13432

Demand is continuing to increase for both compostable materials (e.g. food packaging or waste bags), but also for harmless additives, such as printing inks, master-batches, lubricants or other biodegradable additives. DIN CERTCO offer certification services for all of these products.

The certification scheme “Additive according to DIN EN 13432” gives additive manufacturers the opportunity to prove that their products are harmless for the composting process.

Alongside DIN EN 13432, certification can also be carried out according to one of the following standards

• ASTM D 6400 "Standard Specification of Labeling of Plastics Designed to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities"
• ASTM D 6868 "Standard Specification for Labeling of End Items that Incorporate Plastics and Polymers as Coatings or Additives with Paper and Other Substrates Designed to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities"
• DIN EN 14995 "Plastics - Evaluation of Compostability - Test Scheme and Specifications"
• ISO 17088 "Specification for Compostable Plastics"
• ISO 18606 "Packaging and Environment - Organic recycling"
• AS 4736 "Biodegradable Plastics - Biodegradable Plastics suitable for Composting and other Microbial Treatment"
• AS 5810 "Biodegradable plastics — Biodegradable plastics suitable for home composting"
• NF T 51-800 "Plastics - Specifications for plastics suitable for home composting"
• DIN EN 17033 "Plastics - Biodegradable mulch films for use in agriculture and horticulture - Requirements and test methods"

The following tests may be necessary, depending on the nature and composition of the additives:

• Chemical characterisation
• Laboratory testing on full biodegradability
• Plant toxicity test
• earth worm toxicity test
• Nitrification test
• IR transmission spectrum

A distinction is made between the following types of additive:

• Water and/or solvent-based printing inks
• Inorganic pigments
• Organic pigments
• (Colour) master batches based on biodegradable materials
• Biodegradable additives

Only those additives get the DIN-Geprüft mark which provide the conformity with the standards by a successful passing of a test in a testing laboratory recognized by DIN CERTCO and subsequent neutral assessment.

After a positive assessment result DIN CERTCO issues a certificate which is valid for five years. Annual monitoring ensures that high quality requirements are still complied with even after the initial certification has been granted.

All licensees are listed on our website at "Certificate Holder".