Biodegradable Products Institute

06/05/2026

Stadiums aren’t just entertainment spaces—they’re powerful places to teach circular systems at scale. ⚾️🌱✨

At Petco Park, a partnership between San Diego Padres, Eco-Products, Republic Services, and Delaware Northdemonstrates what’s possible when compostable packaging is selected based on what actually works in the composting system—not just what’s available.

By aligning procurement, operations, and post-consumer sorting—and validating BPI Certified and CMA-approved products through real-world testing with partners like the Compost Research and Education Foundation—they’ve built a system achieving over 96% diversion from landfill.

The lesson is simple: zero waste at large events is achievable when compostables are treated as part of a designed system, not a standalone solution. Stadiums can turn that system into a live, visible education for millions of fans. 🔁✅

Read more in this BioCycle article written by Paula Luu and published on June 2, 2026 👉 https://www.biocycle.net/petco-park-padres-composting-zero-waste/

How the San Diego Padres and Eco-Products built one of MLB's most complete food waste and compostable packaging diversion programs — by starting with the composter and working backward.

06/04/2026

Find answers to some of the most common questions the composting industry and beyond has about lab testing for compostability with Mahya Wood and Ashley Tilot from Normec OWS, a BPI-approved lab. 🧫🌱

Watch the full video here 👉 https://youtu.be/lo_l1sOa_GM

06/03/2026

How do certified compostables break down along with food scraps and contribute to safe, healthy compost? 🤔 Turns out, there's some interesting science behind the breakdown process.

In simple words, compostables are made up of carbon-rich, easy-to-break-apart polymers (like those found in natural, organic items - think of an apple or a leaf). Microbes, in the presence of heat, oxygen, and moisture, like to consume those polymers and help mineralize them into carbon dioxide and water - the perfect recipe for compost!

Learn more on YouTube 👉 https://youtube.com/shorts/e8m3LdV2okY

06/02/2026

New California data reinforces what BPI has long said: certified compostable bags are helping drive food scrap collection.

A new survey found 63% of Californians reuse compostable produce bags for food scrap collection—exactly as intended under SB 1046. That’s critical for meeting SB 1383 goals.

AB 1812 risks removing that tool—despite the fact that over 90% of compost contamination is conventional plastic, not certified compostables. The path forward: improve labeling, support composter choice, and protect practical tools that help households participate in organics recycling. 🌱

Read more in this BioCylce article, written by Juliana Beecher and Paula Luu and published on May 18, 2026: https://bit.ly/4x397nh

California's AB 1812 would ban compostable biopolymers statewide. New survey data shows why that could stall SB 1383 food scrap collection at the household level.

05/28/2026

Big news for Philadelphia composting infrastructure: Bennett Compost can now accept certified compostable packaging, expanding capacity by 500,000 pounds and serving 8,500+ households and 180 commercial customers.

Supported through funding from BPI and the Composting Consortium, this is exactly how we grow the circular bioeconomy: investing in composters, expanding real-world infrastructure, and giving more communities access to food scrap + compostable product and packaging recovery. 🌱

Read the full press release here: https://bpiworld.org/bennett-compost-now-accepts-certified-compostable-packaging-expanding-capacity-500-000-pounds

Biodegradable Products Institute provides certification services for compostable products. BPI-certified products meet ASTM D6400 or D6868 testing standards to certify they will biodegrade in a managed compost facility.

05/22/2026

Progress at scale doesn’t happen in silos; it depends on collaboration across the entire value chain to align policy, infrastructure, and innovation toward a shared outcome. Learn more about the importance of cross-sector collaboration when solving the food waste problem here in the US: https://bit.ly/4wIhgxc and work on plastics pollution worldwide: https://bit.ly/4nGPTj2

05/19/2026

🚨 Registration is now OPEN for the 2026 BPI Summit, which means early bird rates are officially live!

📍 Detroit, Michigan
📅 October 14–15, 2026

This year’s Summit is our most immersive yet: three industry tours, real-world learning, a focused half-day summit, and an evening reception—all designed to take you beyond the conference room and into operational composting systems.

Space is limited, and this is one you’ll want to experience firsthand. Register early to save your spot 👉 https://bpiworld.org/2026-bpi-summit #2/

05/14/2026

New data from the Compostable Field Testing Program (CFTP)—spanning 2,000+ mesh bag samples and 33,000+ dose trials—reinforces a core truth: certified compostable products perform as intended alongside food scraps when paired with real-world composting conditions. ✅🌱

Better data helps us keep improving products, standards, and infrastructure so certified compostables can perform more consistently in real-world systems. And this growing body of data helps move the entire industry forward. 💪🔁

Read more about what the data says in this BioCycle article, written by Emily McGill, Liv Johansson and Susanna Carson and published on May 4, 2026: https://www.biocycle.net/compostable-product-field-testing-results-cftp/

CFTP releases field test results from 2,000+ samples: compostable polymers disintegrate in 93% of trials, fiber in 70%. Temperature and moisture are key factors.

05/12/2026

Outdated federal National Organic Program rules” shouldn’t be dictating the future of compostable packaging. At SPC Impact 2026, BPI underscored how misaligned policy—not material performance—is creating barriers for certified compostables. As EPR evolves, smart policy must align with real-world recovery systems.

Read more in this Packaging World article, written by Anne Marie Mohan and published on May 6, 2026: https://www.packworld.com/sustainable-packaging/recycling/article/22966054/spc-impact-2026-epr-moves-from-theory-to-operational-reality

As EPR rules take shape, companies are rethinking packaging strategy around compliance, data, and real-world performance in recovery systems.

05/10/2026

We hope you enjoyed International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) as much as we did! For our final ICAW post, we’re spotlighting Jorge Montezuma of Wanu Organics and his insights from the 2025 BPI Summit session, “Compost End Markets.”

Jorge discusses something not always understood outside the industry: compost quality is more complex than people might realize. What defines “quality” can vary depending on the end use — from agriculture, to landscaping, to erosion control and beyond. In many ways, compost quality is in the eye of the beholder.

But at its core, quality compost plays a critical role in regenerating soil, returning nutrients to the earth, improving resilience, and helping grow healthier plants and communities.

Healthy compost helps feed the soil that feeds us. ✨🌱 We hope you enjoyed ICAW as much as we did! Watch Jorge’s full presentation here: https://youtu.be/X77-bT8p3AE?si=CJhqlInNHko7UsoF