ASTM D6868: Compostable Coated Paper Certification Testing Services
Accredited ASTM D6868 compostable coated paper certification testing from Infinita Lab, performed to the exact standard requirements - accurate, reproducible results with full documentation for compliance, R&D, and quality control programs.
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- Overview
- Scope, Applications, and Benefits
- Test Process
- Specifications
- Instrumentation
- Results and Deliverables
What Is ASTM D6868 Compostable Coated Paper Certification?
ASTM D6868-21, 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, is a specification rather than a test method. Subcommittee D20.96, under ASTM Committee D20 on Plastics, maintains it. The 2021 edition, issued in February 2021, is the active revision and replaced D6868-19. No laboratory procedure here. What it does define is what an end item must demonstrate before it can be labeled as compostable in aerobic municipal and industrial composting facilities.
The scope covers items where a plastic film, sheet, or polymer is laminated, extruded, or mixed into a substrate such as paper, and the whole item is designed to compost aerobically at the thermophilic temperatures found in large facilities. Public summaries state that a product must show three characteristics: proper disintegration during composting, an adequate level of inherent biodegradation, and no adverse effect on the compost’s ability to support plant growth. Intermediate stages of plastic breakdown must also not be visible to the end user. The standard, alongside ASTM D6400 (the specification for compostable plastics) and public presentations, indicates that each layer of a coated item is expected to meet the mineralization requirement independently, with additive limits applied to each layer and the finished product. It doesn’t assess product contents or performance itself. Evidence comes from referenced test methods run on the item. The full text is paywalled, so read the exact limits and reporting clauses in the licensed document. Below, we describe how Infinita Lab organizes the evidence an end item needs against D6868, from reviewing its construction to assembling a report that supports a labeling decision.
Applications and Benefits of ASTM D6868 Compostable Coated Paper Certification Testing
Scope
ASTM D6868 applies to end items such as coated papers, laminates, and other composite products containing plastic components that are marketed as compostable. It requires:
- ASTM D6868-21 is a labeling specification, not a test method, and carries no step-by-step laboratory procedure of its own.
- Applies to end items in which plastics or polymers are added to paper or another substrate as a coating, film, sheet, binder, or additive.
- Public summaries of Section 1.1 say the added plastic may be applied by lamination, extrusion or mixing.
- The whole end item must be designed to be composted under aerobic conditions in municipal or industrial composting facilities.
- Labeling as compostable in aerobic municipal and industrial composting facilities requires meeting the requirements it sets.
- Properties that indicate satisfactory composting are covered: proper disintegration, adequate inherent biodegradation, and no harm to the compost’s ability to support plant growth.
- Intermediate stages of plastic biodegradation must not be visible to end users of the finished compost.
- The standard doesn’t describe product contents or judge compostability and biodegradability performance by itself, and it is not a home-composting standard.
- ASTM D6400 is its partner document, and public summaries say each layer of a coated item is expected to meet the D6400 mineralization requirement on its own.
- Subcommittee D20.96 develops it, and public listings note that no ISO equivalent is known.
Applications
- Paper cups, bowls, plates, and food trays that carry a compostable plastic lining or coating.
- Molded pulp and fiber-based foodservice packaging with a barrier layer.
- Bags and wrappers made of paper, with a film or extruded coating designed for industrial composting.
- Laminated paperboard cartons and paper-based flexible packaging made with biodegradable polymer layers.
- Anything paper-based that contains plastic additives or binders and is marketed as compostable.
- Brand owners and converters compiling documentation to support a compostable label claim.
Benefits
- A clear picture, for product teams, of the evidence expected before a compostable label is applied.
- Lower risk of a failed certification review, since each layer and additive is checked against the specification early.
- Labeling claims that composters, regulators, and retailers can trace back to a published standard.
- Coverage of the full end item, so coatings and substrates are evaluated as one designed-to-compost product.
- Design problems like visible residue or poor disintegration get caught before a full production run.
- One organized dossier of results, ready to share with certifiers and customers.
Our ASTM D6868 Testing Procedure
Component Verification
Each plastic additive or coating is verified for compliance with ASTM D6400 specifications.
1Disintegration Testing
The complete end item is subjected to industrial composting conditions to verify physical disintegration within the required time.
2Biodegradation Testing
The biodegradation rate of the total carbon in the product is measured under controlled aerobic composting conditions.
3Ecotoxicity Assessment
Mature compost containing the test material is assessed for phytotoxicity and plant growth impacts.
4ASTM D6868 Test Parameters and Requirements
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Applicable Products | End items with plastic additives combined with paper/substrate |
| Composting Type | Aerobic industrial composting |
| Disintegration Requirement | No more than 10% residual > 2mm after defined composting period |
| Biodegradation Reference | Per ASTM D5338 or equivalent |
| Ecotoxicity Reference | Compost plant growth bioassay |
- Industrial Composting Test Chamber – a controlled, aerobic, thermophilic composting environment where the sample sits, and disintegration can be observed over the test period.
- Sieve Set – remaining fragments of the tested item are separated from the compost, which shows how completely it disintegrated.
- Controlled-Composting Respirometer – tracks carbon dioxide released by the sample to show how much of its carbon is converted by microorganisms.
- Total Organic Carbon Analyzer – gives the carbon content of the test material, so biodegradation can be calculated against a known starting amount.
- Plant Growth Chamber – grows test plants in compost made with the item to compare germination and biomass with an untreated control.
- ICP-OES or ICP-MS Spectrometer – regulated metals in the item and in the finished compost are measured here.
Equipment and Instrumentation Used for ASTM D6868 Testing
What You Receive: Test Report, Data, and Certification
- A clear statement of the standard edition and the item construction that were evaluated.
- Layer-by-layer and finished-item results for disintegration, biodegradation, plant growth, and regulated metals.
- Each result compared with the requirements as summarized in D6868 and D6400, with gaps called out.
- Documented sample descriptions, chain of custody, and the methods followed by each partner laboratory.
- One consolidated report, formatted for a certifier, retailer, or internal compliance file.
ASTM D6868 Compostable Coated Paper Certification FAQs
D6400 applies to plastic products intended for composting, while D6868 applies to composite end items where plastic is an additive component combined with paper or other substrates.
ASTM D6868 is a standard specification covering labeling of biobased products, ensuring clear identification of renewable content and helping consumers and industries distinguish biobased materials from conventional petroleum-based products.
ASTM D6868 is important because it supports accurate labeling of biobased products, promotes transparency, helps regulatory compliance, and encourages the use of renewable resources in manufacturing and consumer goods.
ASTM D6868 establishes requirements for labeling based on verified biobased content, typically determined using standards like ASTM D6866, ensuring consistency and reliability in product identification.
ASTM D6868 requires proper documentation, verified test results, and accurate representation of biobased content on labels, ensuring claims are scientifically supported and not misleading.
Why Choose Infinita Lab for Compostable Coated Paper Certification Testing
When your Compostable Coated Paper Certification results have to hold up - for compliance, a customer audit, or an engineering decision - ASTM D6868 accuracy and an unbiased third-party report matter more than price. Infinita Lab routes your ASTM D6868 compostable coated paper certification testing to ISO/IEC 17025-accredited U.S. partner labs with hands-on method experience, so you get defensible data, transparent reporting, and turnaround times built around your project deadline - not ours.
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