The GECA Claim Authenticated mark provides independent third-party assurance that claims have been substantiated through an in-depth exploration and desktop audit on specific claims. Biogone home compostable products have now received GECA Claim Authentication that these products are home compostable.
Biogone home compostable products are already certified by the Australian Bioplastics Association as biodegradable and compostable in accordance with Australian Standard AS 5810; however, having our claims GECA authenticated adds additional consumer confidence in our manufacturing processes and claims.
Biogone co-founder Ross Headifen believes that green credentials are about gaining consumer trust, so it is incredibly important to be transparent and honest and provide strong evidence to back up your claims. Ross believes that transparency is king – as customers are not just looking at your product or service but also your whole business. For example, if you sell a product and say it is ‘compostable’ to garner green favour, you also need to explain where to dispose of it. The item is likely to be treated as greenwash with no disposal instructions.
Biogone co-founders Ross Headifen (left) and John Mancarella (right)
Co-founder John Mancarella said, “Once we were confident and had evidence that home compositable products will also biodegrade in landfill, we thought it would be a great addition to our product range. We had high demand for home compostable products (particularly from local councils) and by adding the two technologies it gives consumers more choice.”
Home compostable products are made using plant-based materials (usually corn or sugar cane), which biodegrade fast in home compost bins or in landfills. Made with similar materials as commercial compostable plastics, home compostable plastics however have an extra component in them, PBAT* which is a highly biodegradable material. Their biodegradation rates are longer than commercial compost facilities but still relatively fast being several months up to 1-2 years depending on the plastic thickness.
Biogone’s home compostable products will biodegrade in a home compost, commercial compost facility (if the waste stream is available) or landfill. See Biogone’s range of home compostable products here.
To learn more about GECA Claims Authentication, visit their website.
*PBAT (polybutyrate adipate terephthalate) is a biodegradable random copolymer. The co-polymer is available commercially as resin and as a compound with PLA or starch. Today, the building blocks are made from petrochemicals. As a “drop-in” polymer, PBAT resembles LDPE in its properties. The flexibility and toughness of this polymer make it ideal for blending with another biodegradable polymer that is strong and rigid.
