Biodegradable Tableware Export Certification FAQ
What certifications do biodegradable tableware need for export?
Match certification to destination: North America looks for BPI certification against ASTM D6400; Europe looks for OK Compost or OK Compost HOME built on EN 13432; other regions may accept ISO 17088-based evidence. Food-contact compliance is a separate requirement on top of compostability. There is no single global certificate — build a per-market document stack that names the exact SKU you ship.
What is the difference between EN 13432 and ASTM D6400?
Both set pass-fail limits for industrial compostability — biodegradation, disintegration, ecotoxicity, and heavy metals — but they are separate standards with different test protocols and recognition zones. EN 13432 anchors European certification such as OK Compost; ASTM D6400 anchors North American certification such as BPI. Buyers ask for their regional mark, and one standard does not substitute for the other in documentation.
Does OK Compost certification work for the US market?
Not as a substitute. OK Compost is recognized in European and some Asian markets, while U.S. buyers and compost facilities look for BPI certification against ASTM D6400. Exporters serving both regions carry both certifications or market-specific product versions, because each claim must be substantiated where it is made. Verify each listing on its certifier's database.
What is the difference between OK Compost and OK Compost HOME?
OK Compost certifies industrial composting conditions — higher, sustained temperatures in municipal facilities. OK Compost HOME applies stricter low-temperature criteria that match backyard compost bins, so it is a harder test. A product certified only for industrial composting cannot carry a home-compost claim. Ask your buyer which waste stream their market uses before choosing the mark. Source: TÜV Austria certification program.
Does a compostability certificate prove food-contact safety?
No. Compostability and food safety are different claims with different documents. Compostability certificates (BPI, OK Compost) prove biodegradation performance; food-contact statements (FDA FCS or the destination authority) prove safe contact with food for the finished coated product. Exporters need both, and customs and buyer audits expect the certificate, the food-contact statement, and the invoice to name the same SKU and batch.
How should an exporter map certifications across destinations?
Build a table per market before tooling: United States and Canada — BPI plus FDA food-contact files; European Union — OK Compost with an EN 13432 test report, plus packaging-regulation tracking; Australia and New Zealand — ISO 17088-based evidence or local equivalents; Middle East and Asia — OK Compost or the import country's food-authority acceptance. Match the mark to the market first, because re-testing after losing an order costs months. Sources: BPI, TÜV Austria, U.S. CBP import guidance.