Is an EN 13432 test report enough for a compostable claim?

What does an EN 13432 test report prove?

EN 13432 is the European standard for packaging that can be recovered through composting and biodegradation. A lab checks how far the material biodegrades and how well it breaks up. It also tests the finished compost for ecotoxicity and the material for heavy metals. The conditions are those of an industrial composting plant. TÜV Austria’s comparison sheet sets them out. The compost runs at 58 ± 2 °C. At least 90% must biodegrade within six months. At most 10% of the material may be left on a 2 mm sieve after 84 days.

That is all it proves. A pass says the plate breaks down in a plant run at those temperatures. It says nothing about a garden heap at 20 °C or a field. Composting at home is tested under a separate scheme. TÜV Austria’s OK compost HOME works at 20 to 30 °C and allows up to 12 months for biodegradation. We have not been tested to that scheme and we do not put a time on garden composting.

What is the difference between a test report and a certificate?

A test report is a lab’s result on samples. A certificate comes from a certification body that has reviewed those results and the product. It gives the right to use that body’s mark. European Bioplastics grants the Seedling mark only through certification by DIN CERTCO or TÜV Austria, and DIN CERTCO certificates run for three years.

This is why our wording never changes. We say “EN 13432 tested and passed (industrial composting)”. We do not say certified, and we will not put a certification mark on a carton we pack.

What does Directive (EU) 2024/825 change for the carton?

Directive (EU) 2024/825 amends the EU rules on unfair commercial practices. Member States had to adopt it by 27 March 2026 and apply it from 27 September 2026. Four points in its Annex I matter for a box of plates.

Point 4a bans a generic environmental claim unless the trader can demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance. Recital 9 gives examples of such words. Both “eco-friendly” and “biodegradable” are among them. A claim stops being generic when its specification is given in clear and prominent terms on the same medium. On a carton, that means the explanation sits on the carton, not on a website.

Point 2a bans a sustainability label that is not based on a certification scheme or set up by a public authority. A home-made “compostable” badge falls here. Point 4b bans a claim about the whole product when it is true only of one part. Point 10a bans presenting a legal requirement as if it were a special feature of your offer, so be careful with “plastic-free” in a market where plastic plates are already banned.

So what can an importer print on the carton?

Our view: print less, and print it exactly. One precise line backed by a report on file is worth more than three loose words that a competitor or an enforcement office can challenge.

Does the carton itself count as compostable packaging?

No. Under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40, Article 9 reserves the compostable route for a short list of items from 12 February 2028. Tea and coffee bags are on it, and so are sticky labels on fruit. All other packaging has to be designed for material recycling. Our export carton is corrugated board, so it belongs in paper recycling. The plates are a separate matter: plates sold empty are products, not packaging, unless they are filled at the point of sale.

What about the Green Claims Directive?

It is not law. The Commission proposal of 2023 is still listed as pending on the Commission’s green claims page. Plan your carton on Directive 2024/825, which already applies.

Does France add anything?

Yes. Article L541-9-1 of the French Environment Code bans “biodégradable” and “respectueux de l’environnement” on any product or packaging. The Conseil d’État upheld that rule on 31 May 2024. A carton made for France needs its own text. We cover it on our France page.

What do we send buyers?

We send the EN 13432 test report on request to buyers who need it for their own claims. With it go our ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certificates (TÜV India) and our BSCI audit. Our plates are also tested to LFGB standards and confirmed compliant, and that test report is sent on request too. We do not publish or attach them in general mailings. If you are planning carton text for a white label order, send it to sales@ecodynetableware.com with your target markets and we will tell you which lines our documents support. The full list of what we hold is on our certifications page, and carton options for your own brand are on the private label page.