The ban on single-use plastics: Verifying compostable alternatives really are compostable

In response to the identified threat of single-use plastics, Canada has created legislation limiting single-use packaging to cut back on waste produced, work towards a circular economy and achieve the goal of zero plastic waste by 2030. As of December 20, 2022, the import for sale and manufacture of single-use plastic shopping bags, cutlery, food service wares made from or containing problematic plastics, stir sticks and straws are prohibited. Eventually, any sales of these items will be banned in December 2023. Those are just the start of the legislation on plastics, with other product types sure to follow. Manufacturers and retailers must change how they package, distribute and sell their products to comply with the new legislation.

In the US, eight states have banned single-use plastic bags, with other jurisdictions and products expected to follow. Private organizations are also moving ahead with their policies to eliminate single-use plastic items. For example, one of the largest international airlines operating across the US and abroad has developed a strategic Zero Waste roadmap for one of its major terminal operations in the Eastern United States. This airline initially retained GHD to review the local requirements for source-separation of organic waste and provide guidance for implementation challenges, opportunities, and alternatives. As the project evolved, we developed a comprehensive implementation strategy for the airport’s solid waste, including a source-separated organics pilot, with a vision of ultimately leading to back-of-house management of organic wastes for beneficial reuse and recovery. The implementation strategy included a timeline, priorities, cost considerations and a detailed implementation plan. We are now completing the framework Solid Waste Management Plan, which is expected to lead to Zero Waste implementation starting in 2023.

Compostable products are made from materials that can biodegrade under specific, human-driven circumstances. Packaging manufacturers are looking for innovative ideas to replace single-use plastics. Options have been gaining traction, including products made out of paper, cellulose, hemp, natural polymers made from cornstarch and bio-plastics. However, it is important that these products are truly sustainable and can be broken down in an organics facility for them to replace plastics effectively. Therefore, lab and field standards are being tightened to certify compostable products and determine the length of time it takes them to disintegrate in organics facilities such as composting and anaerobic digestion units.

It is important for products put into composting facilities to properly disintegrate and produce quality compost for retail. If they are not, they can contaminate the composting stream and produce a low-quality product, which is a threat to the compost market and can damage the reputation of suppliers. It is a delicate balancing act to add as many products as possible to the organics stream and divert waste from landfills while ensuring that they break down and produce quality compost. That is why testing these products is so important.

The Ontario Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks (OMECP) in the Greater Toronto Area wanted to determine if compostable products disintegrate in organics processing facilities. Working together with Compost Manufacturing Alliance, a compostable products certifier for packaging companies and receiving facilities, we developed field protocols for disintegration testing. Looking beyond the sales pitch, we developed field testing protocols and conducted field trials to compost products in real-world organics processing facilities.

The OMECP in Ontario is proposing to ban organics from landfill by 2030 and are considering whether certified compostable products should be included in green bin programs across the province. The OMECP has also included certified compostable products as a potential product in the Extended Producer Responsibility legislation. This would allow the province to charge the producers fees for the collection and processing of the certified compostable products.

Field test results were highly variable depending on material properties and organic recycling processes. It was determined some materials might be better treated as part of the recyclable fibre stream, which is used to make recycled paper, rather than in the organics processing stream for compost.

It takes significant effort from many industries, companies and individuals to successfully shift away from single-use plastic products. We are here to support both producers and municipalities as they navigate the transition. We can help product manufacturers determine if their products are compostable so they can apply certification labels to their packaging. We can also help municipalities set regulations around which products can be accepted at their facilities. Our goal is to make the transition as easy as possible, as this is just the beginning; one of the many steps toward a circular economy.