Compostability and food-contact compliance are separate questions. A material or package described as compostable is not automatically suitable for direct food contact, and a food-contact-compliant package is not automatically compostable. Buyers must define the market, complete construction, food and use conditions, composting route, claim wording and required evidence.
For a related specification, compare Propylene Glycol Migration in Food-Contact Packaging: Detection Methods, Temperature Effects, and Compliance … before finalising the packaging brief.
Separate the evidence packages #
| Question | Evidence to request |
|---|---|
| Food-contact suitability | Applicable declarations, substance restrictions and migration testing for the intended food, time and temperature |
| Industrial compostability | Certification or test evidence covering the complete claimed item and applicable specification |
| Home compostability | Separate evidence where the market permits the claim; do not infer it from industrial compostability |
| Label and disposal claim | Market-specific wording, required symbols and the actual collection or treatment route |
| Finished construction | Face material, coatings, inks, adhesives, barriers, labels, closures and residues included in scope |
China food-contact scope #
GB 4806.7-2023 replaced GB 4806.7-2016 for food-contact plastic materials and articles and also covers starch-based plastic materials and articles. A project may also require the general safety requirements, additive controls, migration test methods and standards applicable to other layers or composite constructions. Select the test conditions from the intended food type, contact time, temperature and use rather than from the word “compostable.”
The current standard is reflected in Chinese market-supervision materials describing GB 4806.7-2023 for food-contact plastics. Buyers should request the applicable declaration and report for the actual finished construction and intended use.
EU compostable-packaging claims #
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies generally from 12 August 2026. Its compostable-packaging provisions apply to specified formats and require appropriate labelling and waste-management communication; the regulation does not make every bio-based or biodegradable package automatically compostable or suitable for home composting.
Use the official Regulation (EU) 2025/40 text and the European Commission packaging-waste overview for the current legal framework. ISO 17088:2021 provides specifications for plastics suitable for recovery through organic recycling and supports industrial-composting claims; it does not replace market-specific legal and labelling requirements. See the ISO 17088:2021 overview.
Buyer documentation checklist #
State the sales market, food type, direct or indirect contact, contact time and temperature, filling process, storage, complete material structure, inks and adhesives, composting claim, disposal route and certification target. Ask whether reports cover raw resin, one component or the complete finished item. Confirm that artwork claims match the evidence and local collection system.
For the broader food-contact file, use the food-contact documentation guide for flexible packaging buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions #
Does compostable mean food-contact safe? #
No. Food-contact suitability requires a separate assessment and documentation for the intended food, contact time, temperature and complete package.
Does industrially compostable mean home compostable? #
No. These are different environments and claims. Use evidence and wording applicable to the intended disposal route and market.
Can a compostability certificate for raw resin cover the finished package? #
Not automatically. Coatings, inks, adhesives, barriers, labels and closures may change the scope, so confirm what the certificate and tests actually cover.
Is GB 4806.7-2016 still the current Chinese plastics standard? #
No. GB 4806.7-2023 replaced it. The applicable food-contact standards and test conditions still depend on the complete construction and intended use.
