Michelman recently announced that several of its products have complied with the specifications established by the American Society for Testing and Materials standards ASTM D6400 and D6868 per the terms and conditions of Biodegradable Products Institute’s (BPI) certification program for compostable products. Coatings achieving certification include Michem^® Coat 2000, Michem Coat 525, and Hydraban^® 8000.

“As a supplier to brand owners and other members of the packaging supply chain, we want to help transition the industry into more sustainable packaging,” said Rick Michelman, chief technology officer and executive vice president for Americas and Printing & Packaging. “BPI has the largest certification program for compostable products and packaging in North America, and getting awarded BPI certification means the industry can trust that our products have gone through a rigorous testing process.”

According to Michelman, the products have undergone biodegradation and ecotoxicity testing in order to receive BPI certification. This testing reportedly means that the BPI-certified coatings are proven to biodegrade in an industrial compost environment and can be used in typical quantities in the applications for which they are designed, with minimal limitations.

“We design solutions with the Circular Economy in mind, combined with what we are hearing from our converter customers and the brands they serve,” said Rick Michelman. “Paper-based packaging materials coated with our functional coatings are typically repulpable and recyclable. Now, our growing portfolio of certified compostable coatings provides brand owners with more sustainable options to achieve the performance they need and help divert packaging from landfills.”

For more information, visit www.michelman.com. Additional details regarding BPI are available at www.bpiworld.org.