The main objective of the COMPOLABEL project has been to develop and validate an alternative methodology for assessing the compostability of materials. To this end, a comparative study of different compostable materials has been carried out under controlled conditions, both at laboratory and pilot-plant scale and in industrial composting tunnels, taking as a reference the requirements and criteria established by current regulations.

 

The COMPOLABEL project has enabled the development of an experimental protocol for assessing the disintegration of compostable materials that reproduces, at laboratory scale, the main conditions and stages of industrial composting. Unlike conventional tests, which are based on controlled and relatively constant conditions, this protocol incorporates dynamic temperature conditions and other parameters, such as moisture control and treatment duration, inspired by the actual operation of industrial plants. The aim is to obtain a more representative assessment of the behaviour of materials during the composting process.

 

The protocol has been defined based on the conditions observed in industrial facilities, including temperature evolution, moisture content and treatment duration. The results of the project have made it possible to establish criteria for a more representative assessment of industrial compostability and to develop a CEBIMAT-specific protocol that enables the evaluation of materials by simulating their composting process in a controlled laboratory environment.