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The Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA) Field Testing Program
Samples and profiles for next testing round are due January 30, 2020.
Contact customerservice@composterapproved.com for inclusion in the next test.
Compostability Field Testing, Substrate Review and Product Development Services
As cities, businesses and residents strive for zero waste, the use of compostable food service ware is increasing. Cedar Grove and members of the Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA) work to support these programs while maintaining a high standard of compost quality across 20 composting facilities throughout the U.S. To accomplish higher food waste diversion and minimize contamination in urban feed stocks, CMA and its affiliated partners provide a program of technical review and field testing of compostable products to determine their true feasibility as food related feed stock when shipped to fully permitted industrial composting facilities.
Items submitted for CMA field testing include bags, utensils, plates, bowls, clamshells, wraps and more. As new products are developed to meet growing market demands, CMA provides the expertise to determine how well the products will break down in modern, large scale compost manufacturing technologies. For general questions about this, please contact: customerservice@composterapproved.com or call 206-771-3853.
Requirements for CMA Testing and Substrate Review
To submit items for CMA testing, please note the following requirements:
- You must be the manufacturer (or an authorized agent for the manufacturer)
- Items must be related to food service or yard waste collection
- Guidelines below must be followed
Other Technologies Available for Testing Trials (please visit composterapproved.com for updates on facilities and locations)
Testing trials occur every month and/or when enough samples are collected to constitute a testing round. Testing technologies in the cycle include:
- In-vessel, positive aeration, membrane laminate technology (Gore)
- Aerated static pile
- Mass bed
- Turned windrows
- Agitated continuous flow systems
- Others as requested
(Note that CMA only offers testing in aerobic compost manufacturing facilities. Anaerobic digestion is a distinctively different and separate technology than composting, and CMA does not offer testing in these types of units).
Submission guidelines:
Include three (3) to five (5) samples for each item submitted per technology test and include a unique Identification Number written on at least one of the items. (EXAMPLE- if you are testing in ASP and WINDROW, send three to five samples for each technology to cover both tests, or 10 samples in total.
Compostable Food Service Products
A minimum fee will be charged for up to ten (10) food service items submitted for testing based on each testing technology.
| Fees | Unit |
Items Per Batch |
| $4,750 | Per Test batch. Each add'l item will be charged $350* |
Up to 10 |
*A discount of $50/item will be deducted for each item where a current BPI certificaton is submitted with samples.
Compostable Kitchen Bucket and Collection Container Liners
A minimum fee will be charged for up to three (3) compostable bag liner(s) submitted for testing.
| Fees | Unit |
*Items Per Batch |
| $1,750 | Per Test Batch |
Up to 3 |
*You may submit smallest to largest size, along with lowest and highest mil thickness to cover all sizes and thicknesses in your product line. Each additional bag < 10 gallons will carry a fee of $350 per bag. Each additional bag > 10 gallons will carry a fee of $575 per bag. Products must meet ASTM D6400 and lab reports supplied to verify.
Paper and Wood Items Substrate Review
Please inquire for fees associated with food service items submitted for technical analysis only. This would include items such as wood stir sticks, paper napkins, unvarnished and uncoated paperboard, etc.
Questions should be sent to customerservice@composterapproved.com.
Prerequisites for Field Testing:
Category A: Items must meet ASTM D6400 or EN 13432 standards for bioplastics, co-polymers, PLA coated paperboard and paper, and other similar items
Fill out the attached profile for all groups of items submitted. Please print out profile and sign. Profiles can be sent via email in pdf file format to customerservice@composterapproved.com. Include BPI certification or ASTM lab results on finished product. Note that ASTM lab results must include:
- Heavy Metals Analysis
- Spectral Analysis
- Phytoxicity
- Biodegradation
Category B: Items that meet ASTM D6868 requirements for plastics used as coatings on compostable substrates and fibrous materials.
Fill out the attached profile for all groups of items submitted. Please print out profile and sign. Profiles can be sent via email in pdf file format to customerservice@composterapproved.com.
Include BPI certification or ASTM lab results on finished product (note that ASTM lab results must include:
- Heavy Metals Analysis
- Spectral Analysis
- Phytoxicity
- Biodegradation
**Category C: Items that may not match substrates covered under ASTM D6400 and D6868 standards (such as paper towels, napkins, wood, uncoated or clay coated paperboard, and other similar items that are not bioplastics, molded fiber, coated papers, or PLA/paperboard composites).
Fill out the attached profile for all groups of items submitted. Please print out profile and sign. Profiles can be sent via email in pdf file format to customerservice@composterapproved.com.
I addition to the profile, send MSDS on any inks, coatings, or treatments (Note: If MSDS reports show hazardous properties, also send FDA approval for direct food contact).
**After technical review, items may require field testing if information on product is not adequate to determine acceptability. A staff team member will contact you for testing authorization prior to submitting it for field testing.
Category D (NEW REQUIREMENT):
Effective January 1, 2020, CMA facilities will not accept products for field testing or substrate review that contain > 100 ppm total fluorine. Effective January 1, 2019, any new submittals or items submitted for recertification must be accompanied by this profile addendum with the qualifying documentation as requested.
Other Testing and Technical Services:
Pre-ASTM Product Testing
If you have specific products currently pending ASTM results, our program offers expedited and concurrent field testing. If the product(s) meet the disintegration requirements at the end of the testing cycle, you may then submit BPI certification or ASTM results showing that you have met the additional compostability specifications. With confirmation of ASTM results and acceptable field disintegration results, you will then receive an acceptance and inclusion on Cedar Grove's published list, as well as a listing for other CMA technologies once the website is developed for other technologies (coming in 2018).
Cost: $4950.00 (up to 5 samples or prototypes; each addl., $895.00)
Note- All testing fees must be paid at time of sample submission. Profile results will be provided, but acceptance letters are only provided after other certifications are met.
Service Includes:
Field testing
Pass/fail report
Official confirmation/denial or acceptance
Product and Substrate Research Testing
Research testing is designed to test a variety of products or prototypes that may have slight differences in composition. You can run up to five different substrates, components or specific items and product prototypes per testing batch. If you have questions on research testing please contact customerservice@composterapproved.com.
Cost: $4995 (up to 5 samples or prototypes; each addl., $1350)
Service Includes:
- Field testing
- Detailed written report with information on the variable and comparative breakdown of each “recipe”/prototype sample
Optional one hour debrief/report review
(Note: this test can also be done as a preliminary ASTM disintegration test).
All documentation from these test results must accompany samples and/or be tied by unique Identification Number and submitted electronically.
Where to submit samples, paperwork and payments:
| Samples and All Related Documents | Make Checks Payable and Send To: |
|---|---|
|
CMA Testing Center c/o Susan Thoman 2501 SE Mile Hill Drive, Suite A-104 Port Orchard, WA 98366 206-771-3853 |
Compost Manufacturing Alliance P.O. Box 1063 Port Orchard, WA 98366 |
All required items and documentation must be received by the 5th business day of the month (or any date designated by CMA's testing department) to be submitted in that month’s testing round. Protocols and requirements may change at our discretion.
Please e-mail any questions or comments you may have to: customerservice@composterapproved.com
Our team strives to answer all questions in a timely and professional manner.
Protocol to submit on behalf of a product manufacturer
To avoid repeated testing of the same products, and to ensure the accuracy of the information submitted, we require that only the product manufacturer completes the profile form. If a private label company would like to submit information for testing of products, the submission must be accompanied with a letter from the manufacturer stating that the information provided on the profile form is true and correct and gives authorization for all testing information to be provided to the authorized agent representing them.
Use of Cedar Grove, CMA or CMA logo prohibited without valid consent and agreement
The testing of an item and an indication of acceptance does NOT authorize ANY use of any of Compost Manufacturing Alliance or Cedar Grove logos, trademarks, trade names, letterhead or company name on products, web sites, on the inner or outer packaging of any products, or on marketing materials related to such items. Any such uses can be authorized, at our discretion, and only in pursuant to a formal written license agreement through the Compost Manufacturing Alliance or Cedar Grove Composting. To learn more about logo use, please write to karend@cgcompost.com.
UPDATED POLICY: Regarding Fluorinated Chemicals in Cedar Grove Submittals
Effective January 1, 2020, CMA Facilities will not accept products for field testing or substrate review that contains > 100 ppm total fluorine. Effective January 1, 2019, any new submittals or items submitted for recertification must be accompanied by this profile addendum with the qualifying documentation as requested.