The value of certification for the growth of the bioplastics market in Australasia

Presentation by Rowan Williams (BASF/Australasian Bioplastics Association)

Abstract

The Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA) is the peak body for the bioplastics industry in Australia and New Zealand.  As well as advocating for the appropriate use of bioplastics, the ABA runs a number of verification schemes for bioplastic products.  

A new verification scheme for certified soil biodegradable mulch film was launched in 2023, and a supplier has recently become the first in Australia to gain certification for their soil biodegradable mulch film.  Certified soil biodegradable mulch film is certified to ISO 23517: 2021 ‘Plastics — Soil biodegradable materials for mulch films for use in agriculture and horticulture’.   The ‘Soil Biodegradable’ logo clearly identifies and differentiates materials and products as biodegradable in soil. To be certified and carry the Soil Biodegradable logo, suitable biopolymer materials must undergo a stringent test regime described in ISO 23517, undertaken by recognised independent laboratories accredited to the ISO 23517 standard.