Facilities Gain in Accepting Compostable Materials: Study

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Ninety percent of industrial composting facilities accept compostable packaging, according to a new report from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) here.

The study, "Compostable Packaging: The Reality on the Ground," also indicated that 67.5% of the facilities require compostable packaging to have some type of standard or certification before allowing it in the front gate, and that 82.5% want a more universally recognizable label of compostability.

"There is a disconnect between compostable packaging design and the composting facilities who deal with those materials," said SPC Project Manager Liz Shoch, who has led the project. "We hope this report sheds light on how compostable packaging is actually treated and provides recommendations for how we can improve the fate of compostable packaging in this country, as composting is an effective end-of-life option for food- and beverage-soiled paper packaging, as well as compostable plastics."

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