ISO 18606:2013
Packaging and the environment - Organic recycling

Standard No.

ISO 18606:2013

Release Date

2013

Published By

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

Latest

ISO 18606:2013

Scope

This International Standard specifies procedures and requirements for packaging that are suitable for organic recycling. Packaging is considered as recoverable by organic recycling only if all the individual components meet the requirements. Therefore, packaging is not considered recoverable by organic recycling if only some of the components meet the requirements laid down in this International Standard. However, if the components can be easily, physically separated before disposal, then the physically separated components can be individually considered for organic recycling. This International Standard is applicable to organic recycling of used packaging but does not address regulations that exist regarding the recoverability of any residual packaged goods. For each of the packaging components the following four aspects are addressed: a) biodegradation; c) negative effects on the biological process; b) disintegration during biological waste treatment process (i.e. composting); This International Standard does not provide information on requirements for the biodegradability of used packaging which ends up in the soil environment as litter, because littering is not considered as a recovery option. This International Standard is also not applicable to biological treatment undertaken in small installations by householders. d) negative effects on the quality of the resulting compost, including the presence of high levels of regulated metals and other substances hazardous to the environment. This International Standard establishes the requirements for packaging suitable for organic recycling. NOTE “Organically recoverable”, “compostable”, or “compostable packaging in municipal and industrial composting facilities” or “biodegradable during composting” are expressions considered to be equivalent to organically recyclable for the purposes of this International Standard. The procedure for applying this International Standard is contained in ISO 18601.

ISO 18606:2013 Referenced Document

• ISO 14851 Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in an aqueous medium — Method by measuring the oxygen demand in a closed respirometer*， 2019-03-07 Update
• ISO 14852 Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in an aqueous medium — Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide*， 2021-06-21 Update
• ISO 14855-1 Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials under controlled composting conditions - Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide - Part 1: General method
• ISO 14855-2 Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials under controlled composting conditions - Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide - Part 2: Gravimetric measurement of carbon dioxide evolved in a laboratory-scale test*， 2018-06-30 Update
• ISO 16929 Plastics — Determination of the degree of disintegration of plastic materials under defined composting conditions in a pilot-scale test*， 2021-03-11 Update
• ISO 20200 Plastics — Determination of the degree of disintegration of plastic materials under composting conditions in a laboratory-scale test*， 2023-08-01 Update
• ISO 21067:2007 Packaging - Vocabulary

ISO 18606:2013 history

• 2013 ISO 18606:2013 Packaging and the environment - Organic recycling