For a packaging buyer, few documents matter more at the border than a compostability test report. A shipment of compostable cutlery or food containers can clear customs in one market and be held in another — not because the product changed, but because the report did not show the right data, the right standard, or the right pass/fail threshold.
This guide breaks down the three data blocks every valid compostability test report must contain — biodegradation %, disintegration, and ecotoxicity — and explains how customs officers and retail compliance teams actually read them. By the end, you will know how to verify a report before it reaches the port, not after a shipment is flagged.
Why a Compostability Test Report Matters for Customs and Retailer Compliance
Customs and retail buyers do not accept sustainability claims on the invoice. They accept standardized evidence. A compostability test report is the document that proves a finished product meets a recognized compostability standard — EN 13432 in the European Union or ASTM D6400 in North America.
Without it, a product described as “compostable” is, in regulatory terms, little different from conventional plastic. With a mismatched or incomplete report, the result can be worse: the shipment is flagged, held at the port, or rejected by a retailer’s compliance team after it has already landed.
The stakes are rising on both sides of the border. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation applies general obligations from August 2026, while several U.S. states restrict products whose environmental claims are not backed by verifiable data. In this environment, a compostability test report is no longer a marketing attachment — it is the evidence that separates a compliant supplier from a rejected shipment.
The report also travels with the product across the supply chain. Distributors, foodservice operators, and retail buyers increasingly require it as a condition of listing. A report that is complete and correctly read is therefore not a formality — it is a clearance asset.
The Three Data Blocks That Make a Report Valid
A legitimate compostability test report is built on three independent measurements. A report showing only one of them is incomplete, no matter how impressive the single number looks.
Biodegradation % — The Carbon Conversion Number
Biodegradation % measures the extent to which microorganisms convert the material’s organic carbon into carbon dioxide, water, and new biomass under controlled composting conditions. It is a chemical measurement, not a visual one: a product can appear intact long after a meaningful share of its carbon has been converted.
Under EN 13432, a material must reach at least 90% biodegradation within 180 days relative to a reference substance. Under ASTM D6400, the threshold is 60% for a single homogeneous polymer and 90% for a blend. When you see a number on a report, check which standard and which threshold the lab applied.
Read the percentage carefully. A report may state 92% biodegradation, but that figure is always relative to a reference substance, typically cellulose, run in the same test. A percentage reported without the reference or the test window tells you nothing about real performance. Always confirm three things together: the percentage, the standard, and the 180-day window.
Disintegration — Physical Breakdown Against the Clock
Disintegration describes the physical fragmentation of the material in a composting environment. The test ensures that no large plastic fragments remain in the finished compost.
Both EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 require that at least 90% of the material pass through a 2 mm sieve within 12 weeks. A product can show high biodegradation in the lab and still fail disintegration if thick walls or dense structure prevent it from breaking apart on time.
The 2 mm sieve is the visible end point of the process. Compost containing fragments larger than 2 mm is considered contaminated and cannot be sold as quality compost. For a buyer, a passing disintegration figure means the product will not leave visible residue in a commercial composting facility — a direct risk to that facility’s output quality and to its willingness to accept your material in the future.
Ecotoxicity and Heavy Metals — The Safety Gate
Ecotoxicity data confirms that the compost produced from the material does not harm plant growth. The test typically involves growing plants in compost containing the degraded material and comparing them against a control.
The report must also show heavy metal content — including cadmium, lead, mercury, chromium, copper, zinc, nickel, molybdenum, selenium, and arsenic — below the limits set by the standard. This is the line between “compostable” and “contaminant”. A high biodegradation rate cannot compensate for a heavy metal exceedance.
Heavy metals enter compostable materials through pigments, additives, and processing aids, not from the base polymer alone. This is why the report must cover the finished product, not the raw resin. A cadmium or lead exceedance from a single ink or colorant can fail the entire product, even when biodegradation and disintegration both pass.
The Pass/Fail Thresholds: EN 13432 vs ASTM D6400
The two dominant standards use different pass thresholds. Reading the correct column is the single most common source of confusion at customs review.
| Parameter | EN 13432 (EU) | ASTM D6400 (US) |
| Biodegradation | ≥90% within 180 days | ≥60% homopolymer / ≥90% blend within 180 days |
| Disintegration | ≥90% through 2 mm sieve in 12 weeks | ≤10% retained on 2 mm sieve in 12 weeks |
| Ecotoxicity & heavy metals | Plant growth test + metal limits | Plant growth test + metal limits |
Note that both standards describe industrial composting conditions. A report showing an EN 13432 pass is not evidence of home compostability unless a separate home compost certificate exists.
How to Spot a Report That Will Not Survive Review
Before a report reaches a customs officer or a retailer’s compliance desk, a buyer can screen it against a few failure patterns.
- Single-block reports. A file showing only biodegradation % — without disintegration and ecotoxicity data — will be rejected as incomplete.
- Generic material reports. A certificate for “PLA resin” does not cover a finished cup with a coating, a printed lid, or added colorant. The report must match the exact SKU.
- Expired or mismatched certificates. Certification numbers and validity dates must be current and traceable to a recognized certification body.
- Unqualified lab. Test data should come from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory; otherwise the numbers carry no regulatory weight.
- Industrial vs home confusion. A report marketed as “home compostable” that only demonstrates industrial composting will fail review and may constitute a misleading claim.
Where the Report Sits in the Full Compliance File
A compostability test report rarely stands alone. Customs and retail reviewers read it alongside the declaration of conformity, the food-contact compliance statement, and the technical data sheet. The report proves the end-of-life claim; the food-contact documents prove safety in use; the declaration ties both to the specific product and batch.
Suppliers that pre-assemble this file — matching each SKU to its report, certificate number, and food-contact statement — remove the most common source of port delays: a customs officer asking for a document that was never matched to the product in the container.
A Customs and Retailer Submission Checklist
Use the following checklist before any compostable packaging shipment moves to the port.
- Confirm the report covers the exact finished SKU, including any coating, ink, or additive.
- Match the standard to the destination market: EN 13432 for the EU, ASTM D6400 for North America.
- Verify all three data blocks are present: biodegradation %, disintegration, and ecotoxicity.
- Check the heavy metal results are within the standard’s limits.
- Confirm the laboratory is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited and the certificate number is verifiable.
- Clarify the disposal label: industrial compostable must not be presented as home compostable.
FAQ
- What is a compostability test report?
A compostability test report is the document that records a finished product’s performance against a recognized compostability standard — typically biodegradation, disintegration, and ecotoxicity measurements — and supports its compostable claim for customs and retail compliance.
- What is the difference between EN 13432 and ASTM D6400?
Both define industrial compostability, but they use different biodegradation thresholds and are accepted in different markets. EN 13432 applies in the EU and requires 90% biodegradation within 180 days. ASTM D6400 applies in North America and sets 60% for homopolymers or 90% for blends.
- Does a biodegradation rate above 90% mean the product is home compostable?
No. A high biodegradation rate under industrial conditions does not prove home compostability, which requires lower-temperature testing under a separate standard. Industrial and home compostable claims must not be interchanged.
- Why was a shipment held even though a compostability test report was provided?
The most common reasons are a report that does not match the finished product, the wrong standard for the destination market, a missing data block, or an expired or unverifiable certificate.
- How recent should a compostability test report be?
The report should be current and the certification unexpired. Many buyers ask for reports issued or revalidated within the last 12 months, and the certificate number must be verifiable in the certifying body’s public database.
Compostable Packaging with Report-Ready Documentation
At Goecopac, every compostable tableware SKU is supported by a compostability test report that matches the exact finished product — including material grade, barrier coating, and printing. We prepare EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 documentation for customs and retail review, with technical data sheets ready for distributor and retailer submission.
Contact Goecopac to request sample reports, certification copies, and specification sheets before your next shipment — so your compostable packaging clears customs on the first submission, not the second.
