Over the past year, Lastic Bamboo Resin and Lastic products have received many certifications. These range from standard ones like BPI's Commercially Compostable Certification and the US FDA Food Contact approval to the momentous, game-changing Home and Garden Compostable Certification issued by DIN CERTCO.
However, many people raise an obvious question. After a Lastic straw biodegrades into one's compost pile, how does it affect the compost's nutritional profile? Today, we're going to talk about compostability and earthworms.
For starters, Lastic Bamboo Resin contains no highly processed adhesives or inorganic compounds. All its ingredients are non-toxic and biodegradable. But how do we determine if the remaining residue negatively affects animal life? Luckily, specialized certifications demonstrate how healthy a product is makes the soil in which it biodegrades: the AS5810 and AS4736 Certifications.
Originating from Australia (hence the "AS"), both certifications measure toxicity and the effects of composted material on earthworms. AS4736 measures the quality of industrial/commercial compost, while AS5810 measures the quality of home and garden compost. What specifics does each test measure to determine whether a product composts into something toxic? The answer literally lies in the soil.
Earthworms are probably the most unappreciated insect on the planet. These tubular lumbricids (no pun intended) perform various biological feats. Earthworms infuse nutrients into the soil, aid in biodegradation, and aerate the ground. So, if a biodegradable product harms earthworms, it will most likely damage the soil and the surrounding environment.
The AS5810 and AS4736 tests determine if a biodegradable product harms earthworms. The tests compare the weights of earthworms living in the compost pile containing the compostable product in question to those living in a natural environment. The product is deemed safe if the test-group earthworms weigh no less than 90% of the control-group ones.
TÜV Rheinland tested products made from Lastic Bamboo Resin against AS5810 and AS4736 standards. Like all other biodegradation and composting tests, Lastic passed with flying colors. However, we're still waiting for the Australasian Bioplastics Association to issue the AS5810.
Passing the AS5810 and AS4736 deems Lastic products non-toxic to earthworms. All biodegradable products must have no toxicity, as they eventually return to the ecosystem. When we receive the official AS5810 from the Australasian Bioplastics Association, you can bet we'll publish a Bamboo Press about it!
Comments