Our range of thinbarrier® eco wrapping papers for on-the-go foods is certified as compostable packaging by the Composting Manufacturing Alliance (CMA).
Compostable food packaging offers several advantages over traditional plastic packaging. Made from natural, renewable resources, compostable packaging is environmentally friendly, reducing waste and conserving resources. Additionally, using compostable packaging can enhance a business's brand image, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and appealing to eco-conscious consumers. As such, compostable food packaging presents an attractive alternative to traditional packaging for both consumers and businesses alike.
we support the industry with a truly environmentally friendly solution
As the world moves toward more sustainable practices, zero-waste alternatives for food service packaging are gaining popularity with cities, companies, and individuals alike. delfort is proud to help meet the growing demand for compostable products by developing products that will break down with industrial composting technologies.
With our thinbarrier® eco range, we support the industry with a truly environmentally friendly solution. In addition to being certified compostable by CMA, our line of thinbarrier® eco packaging papers are free from fluorocarbons and PFAS. Both the paper and barriers are produced from sustainable ingredients and offer excellent grease resistance and heat retention. Available in white and brown, thinbarrier® eco is perfect for wrapping on-the-go foods such as burgers, wraps, pitas, sandwiches, and hot dogs.
the importance of compostable packaging
Compostability for packaging papers is becoming more and more important in the modern world as the demand to reduce environmental waste continues. delfort is a step ahead and designs QSR food packaging to be compostable, recyclable, and biodegradable.
We sat down with Susan Thoman, Principal and Managing Director at CMA to discuss the importance of developing compostable packaging.
what was the motivation to start CMA for the US industry?
The inspiration for the Composting Manufacturing Alliance was inspired by top composters in the U.S. committed to creating a feedback loop that bridges the gap between compostable product manufacturers and the compost piles their products are designed for.
why is it important for companies to produce and use products that are certified compostable?
More and more brands are looking to compostable packaging material to minimize traditional waste from their portfolios. When products marked “compostable” by packaging industry standards are not tested in real-world processes, the result is costly to compost facility owners, end-users, and municipalities. They often end up taking a long and expensive ride to the landfill.
The CMA certification process confirms that products are tested in real-world processes and are truly compostable. We ensure that manufacturers are not left in the dark, wondering if the product works as intended. Understanding why some products disintegrate, and others do not, is the starting point towards designing a truly ecological packaging paper.
how do composters treat papers containing PFAS?
CMA does not certify products that contain > 100 ppm total fluorine content to screen out these persistent chemicals in compost streams. Most manufacturers selling in the U.S. are now creating new formulations that are free of these intentionally added chemicals. There is also growing interest in legislation that was first passed in Washington State that bans the use of PFAS in foodservice packaging.
PFAS chemicals are used to make everyday items resistant to grease and stains. Some of the most used PFAS chemicals have long half-lives earning them the title “the forever chemical.”
how can a product be certified compostable by CMA?
For foodservice packaging in the U.S., packaging must meet relevant ASTM D6400 or D6868 standards for their composition or substrate category. CMA certification requires that they meet both lab and field disintegration standards. They must pass a field disintegration test for the main three processes represented in our current network.
how can restaurants be sure that packaging goes to a composting facility?
Cross-contamination of compostables in a restaurant can quickly disqualify the restaurant from pick-ups, so not only is sourcing CMA-certified products important, the restaurant’s internal collection system is critical as well. CMA is an avid proponent of setting up public dining systems as only all compostable, using a one bin system that takes the guesswork out of customers’ sorting experience, while providing very clean compost feedstocks for the compost manufacturer.
consumers are increasingly interested in compostable packaging options; how can they compost certain food packaging products at home?
You can make your own compost at home. To help add soil life, nutrients, and healthy microbial communities that support healthy landscapes and gardens. It is important, though, to avoid chemical usage and ensure that you only introduce natural and organic fertilizers to the soil so that you aren’t stripping away the microbes needed to do their work best.
for packaging that is not readily recyclable, compostable packaging may provide an alternative recovery pathway. How does one know when to recycle food service paper versus composting?
The recyclability of papers is really determined at the local level, while food-soiled paper is generally seen as non-recyclable, as a rule of thumb.
what role do sustainable resourced or biopolymers play vs synthetic-based polymers in relation to enabling a product to be compostable?
From our experience, they play a critical role in the future of sustainably made, sourced, and commercialized products coming into the market, especially those that are made to replace historical PFAS-containing options. We have had increasing interest from the coating and additive companies in understanding more about the compostability of their materials in compost streams, as most papers must contain some form of additive or coating to perform properly in food service scenarios.
Thank you!
learn more about the value of compostable packaging
Understanding the Role of Compostable Packaging in North America
about CMA
CMA is a global leader in providing industrial composting facilities with an accepted standard for compostables. This is done by performing field disintegration testing through several prominent processing methods to ensure products sent to industrial compost facilities adequately break down within the production cycle.
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