Packaging in 2026: “Compostable” Only with EN 13432

“Compostable” without specifying a standard will be legally actionable according to EmpCo. “Biodegradable” is even misleading, because EVERY material will decompose eventually. The EU requires concrete references to standards.

The 3 standard standards: EN 13432 (Industrial compostability) — Degradation in 60 days at 58°C, with a minimum weight loss of 90 %. Practical relevance for packaging that ends up in industrial composting plants. EN 17427 (Home compostability) — Degradation in 12 months at 20-30°C. Realistic for private compost heaps. More stringent than EN 13432, with few products certified. DIN CERTCO “seedling” logo — Third-party verification according to EN 13432, with a clear license number (7P0000).

What often goes wrong: “Bioplastics” are confused with “compostable” — PLA (polylactic acid) is NOT automatically compostable; the material must also be certified according to EN 13432. Packaging with a “home compostable” logo: often not certified according to EN 17427, but merely self-declared. “Biodegradable in 90 days” — useless without specifying a standard, because every standard presupposes different temperatures and conditions.

Reformulation examples: ❌ “Compostable packaging” → ✓ “Industrially compostable according to EN 13432 (DIN CERTCO-certified, license 7P0123)". ❌ “Biodegradable” → ✓ “Home-compostable according to EN 17427 (12 months, 25°C) — Certificate No. ABC-123/2024".

Yellow Bag Sorting: Important to know — even EN-13432-certified compost packaging is sorted out as a contaminant in the Yellow Bag system in Germany. “Compostable” and “recyclable in the Yellow Bag” are two different properties.