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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2010
CONTACT: Greta Houlahan
Phone: 734-913-5723
Email: houlahan@nsf.org
Biodegradable Products Institute Accreditation Expands NSF’s Sustainability Services
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – NSF International, a leading provider of sustainable business solutions, announced today that it has earned accreditation from the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) to test plastic materials and products for compostability.
“Accredited testing services such as NSF’s evaluate and authenticate green claims, including compostability, helping to cultivate trust and eliminate greenwashing in the marketplace,” said Tom Bruursema, General Manager of NSF International’s Engineering and Research Services, which offer research and development testing, validation of product claims, and certification to several protocols.
NSF International’s Sustainable Services group verifies environmental claims for consumer products, which includes certification for green chemicals, sustainable furnishing and building materials, and testing to verify energy efficiency.
“NSF’s compostable product testing on plastic products, such as trash bags, bottled water containers and disposable dinnerware, verifies that the products will biodegrade completely, quickly and safely - like other organic matter such as food scraps and yard trimmings,” Bruursema continued.
In the case of biodegradable/compostable product claims, NSF International verifies these claims by testing against standards developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Testing is conducted by planting samples of the plastic product in a closed environment with compost. Once the plastic samples have biodegraded, the compost with the biodegraded samples is then tested for the ability to sustain plant matter.
NSF International verifies compostability by evaluating:
“Manufacturers seeking to demonstrate the compostable and biodegradable features of their products can utilize NSF’s expanding sustainability testing services. For several years, NSF has offered a range of method development, product testing and certification services that give companies credible, third-party verification of environmental claims based on sound science,” said Bruursema.
Accreditation through BPI, in addition to NSF’s existing global laboratory and product certification accreditations, gives further recognition to the quality and integrity of NSF International’s sustainability standards development and certification programs. Accreditation also allows manufacturers to send NSF test data to BPI to be granted approval to use the BPI compostable logo.
To schedule an interview with Tom Bruursema to discuss NSF International’s compostability testing program contact Greta Houlahan at houlahan@nsf.org or 734.913.5723. You may also visit www.nsfsustainability.org to learn more about NSF’s sustainability solutions. For a list of NSF’s laboratory services, click here.
About Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI): Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) is a professional association of key individuals and groups from government, industry and academia, which promotes the use and recycling of biodegradable polymeric materials (via composting). BPI is open to any materials and products that demonstrate (via scientifically proven techniques) that their products are completely biodegradable in approved composting facilities.
About NSF International: NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, certifies products and writes standards for food, water and consumer goods to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (www.nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting public health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment.
Product assessments include testing and certification for sustainable products such as green chemicals and building products. NSF also develops standards for sustainability products such as carpet, flooring, and other commercial building materials. NSF International is a leading provider of process verification services, which include greenhouse gas verification, environmental footprinting, and environmental management systems registrations.
Additional NSF services include Education and Training, safety audits for the food and water industries, nutritional/dietary supplement certification, organic certification provided by QAI (Quality Assurance International) and management systems registrations delivered through NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR). NSF-ISR services include ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems registration, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Chain of Custody (COC) certifications.
