Comparative toxicity of conventional versus compostable plastic consumer products: An in-vitro assessment

The Spanish institute CSIC recently published a study[1] concluding that “ recycled plastics, compostable plastics and semi-degraded compostable plastics resulting from partial disintegration are more toxic than virgin conventional plastic extracts. “

Apart from the scientific quality of the publication, it is, as is all too often the case, its publication in the press that poses a problem. The study does not mention TÜV AUSTRIA, and the authors do not referrer whether the bags tested were certified or not.

On the other hand, CSIC´s original press release cited the OK compost conformity mark.

which is correct, and if the legislation changes, we will adapt our certification criteria.

This press release has been incautiously copied and pasted on various web publications, with some even using an image of a bag with our OK Compost TÜV AUSTRIA logo.
Our brand is therefore incorrectly associated with the conclusions of the study which, evidently, requires further analysis.

In the meantime, CSIC has corrected its press release by removing all references to OK compost to avoid any misunderstanding.

Certification by an independent body such as TÜV AUSTRIA, together with an explicit logo, remains the best way of demonstrating that products comply with latest scientific research, applicable standards and legislation.

This gives us the opportunity to point out that OK compost / TÜV AUSTRIA actively participates in standardization and anticipates changes in legislation by, for example, voluntarily banning the intentional addition of PFAS to compostable products.

[1] Comparative toxicity of conventional versus compostable plastic consumer products: An in-vitro assessment, T. Wang & all, Journal of Hazardous Materials, July 2023