Not many Australians are aware of it, but Australia issues a certification on compostable materials. To secure certification, the manufacturer must first submit documents and test results to the Australian Standard to prove that their products pass the standard.
The Australian Standard means that your product will break down into compost material with no toxic effect on plants and earthworms.
Australia issues two certifications — the Commercial Composting Standard AS 4736 and the Certified Home Compostable AS 5810. The Standards Australia Committee has laid the groundwork, which serves as the bible for certifying biodegradable plastics for composting.
The key elements include the degradability rate of the plastic and the potential toxicity of the material. The regulatory agencies will then conduct independent tests after the manufacturer has sent all the documents. The aim is to validate their claims concerning their products. For example, the results should bear the manufacturer’s claim of its product disintegrating within 90 days or 120 days.
Shifting to Compostable Mailers
Make sure that you buy only plastic with the label “home compostable,” such as black compostable mailers. These are manufactured from 70-80% PBAT or polybutylene adipate terephthalate and about 20-30% cornstarch or PLA.
On appearance alone, you will mistake them for traditional plastic because of the texture and flexibility. However, you would be happy to note that you are doing your part for the environment because black compostable mailers have a smaller carbon footprint than paper. They will decompose within 3-4 months, which is quicker than traditional plastic that takes at least ten years to break down.
It is crucial considering the volume of plastics being consumed by Australia.
According to the 2017 Australian Plastics Recycling Survey, about 3.5 million tonnes of plastic were consumed in Australia in 2016 and 2017. But it only recycled a total of 294,000 tonnes of plastic. The country also used over five billion single-use plastics that year.
The average Australian uses 130 kilos of plastic every year, the World Wildlife Fund reported. Unfortunately, over 130,000 tonnes of these end up in the ocean.
How to Know if You Are Buying Compostable Plastic?
It is quite straightforward to determine if the product has secured the necessary certification. For example, black compostable mailers bear the logo that certifies it as Home Compostable (AS5810) and Commercially Compostable (AS4736).
But it should not be confused with the “ABA Home Composting” logo. The Australiasian Bioplastics Associations issue it, but it does not add anything to the product’s quality.
Securing Australian certification for composting is an arduous and expensive process. For instance, the regulators will look at the thickness of the plastic, presence of heavy metals, toxicity level, organic carbon content, as well as the dry solids contained in the plastic.
So, do not be surprised with their high price tags compared to your traditional plastic. But the label guarantees the buyer that the product meets all the safety standards. Do not view it as an expense, but rather an ecological investment. Whether for commercial or home application, you have peace of mind that you are not doing anything to add more strain to the environment.