New Test Method for New Standard Test Method for Determining the Degree of Disintegration of Items under Defined In-Field Composting Conditions Using Article Dosing
1. Scope
This standardized test method will determine the percentage disintegration of a compostable item under defined in-field composting conditions.
1.2 This test method is intended to be used on items which met the criteria of internationally recognized compostability standard specifications (i.e. ASTM D6400, D6868, D8410, ISO 17088, etc.). This is a test method and not a Specification, it does produce pass/fail.
1.3 This standardized test method is appropriate for facilities operating within the in-field operating conditions (e.g., C:N, moisture, pH, bulk density, oxygen, residence time, temperature, available oxygen, etc.) defined herein regardless of composting technology and size, based on best practices established in The Composting Handbook. (See Section XX for these defined conditions.)
1.4 The field test period is intended to represent the full duration of composting at a given facility from receipt of raw feedstock through to mature and stable compost.
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Keywords
compostable; disintegration; field test; defined in-field composting conditions; dosing; bulk dosing; free-floating
Rationale
ASTM compostability specifications D6400, D6868, and D8410 include tests and pass/fail criteria that show products break down in a composting environment into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass. One of the required tests measures disintegration, the physical/visual fragmentation of an item during composting. These tests are designed for repeatability and reproducibility with ideal conditions in a lab setting, which may not always match the reality of variability found at industrial composting facilities around the world. This ASTM in-field test method establishes defined process conditions, following the science of composting, noting that variability in those conditions is determined by technology/facility type, feedstocks, management of piles, seasonality, end markets for compost, etc. This test method also standardizes parameters for sample preparation, placement in the pile, measurements to be recorded, etc. There will continue to be innovation in compost technologies, and a reliable in-field test will help determine how in-field conditions impact disintegration of compostable items.
WK91666 - New Test Method for New Standard Test Method for Determining the Degree of Disintegration of Items under Defined In-Field Composting Conditions Using Article Dosing | ASTM
