BPI launches combined home, commercial compostable certification 

USA – The Biodegradable Products Institute unveiled a new home compostable certification on, marking the first such program in North America. 

According to BPI Executive Director Rhodes Yepsen, the initiative pairs with the group’s existing commercial certification to offer clearer options for everyday waste management. 

“We need more choices for individuals who want to compost at home,” Yepsen said in an interview.

Products earning the certification must fully break down in the milder conditions of backyard piles, while still complying with prior standards that ensure no harmful residues like heavy metals or PFAS remain in the soil. 

The combined label for both home and commercial compostability will appear on packaging starting December 1, when applications open to manufacturers. 

BPI, which has verified over 51,000 items as commercially compostable in its 25-year history, designed the unified seal to save space on labels and avoid misleading claims.

Yepsen noted that the timing fits rising demand for compostable materials, as more consumers seek ways to cut landfill waste from food scraps and packaging. 

He explained that the approach keeps municipal programs confident in accepting certified items under state laws, without creating separate categories that could spark confusion. 

Educational efforts will roll out soon to guide brands and households on the benefits.

In a statement, BPI highlighted how the certification supports broader shifts toward circular systems, where packaging returns to the earth as nutrient-rich compost. 

Isolated pullbacks by some commercial facilities due to contamination worries have not slowed overall growth, Yepsen added; many programs now embrace these materials more than before.

For Americans without curbside access, who still make up the majority, home options fill a critical gap, he said.

The launch comes as other UK firms, Coveris and TIPA Compostable Packaging, struck a deal to produce certified home-compostable stickers for fruits and vegetables, targeting regulatory demands and retailer needs. 

Their labels withstand handling on items like apples and avocados while degrading fully in home bins, offering a model for scalable produce solutions. 

Earlier this year, BASF’s ecovio biopolymer earned OK Compost Home approval for coated papers, providing FDA-safe barriers against grease and oils up to boiling temperatures.

BPI’s move opens doors for brands to certify entire product lines based on formulations, rather than single items, easing the process. 

Yepsen emphasized that expanding pathways like this helps the packaging sector integrate compostability into daily routines, ultimately diverting more organics from trash heaps nationwide.

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