CMA Certified Compostable

CMA Certified Products FAQS

What does “CMA Certified compostable” mean?

A “CMA Certified compostable” product has been tested and verified by the Compost Manufacturing Alliance. Certification requires meeting recognized lab standards (e.g. ASTM D6400 / ASTM D6868) and successful field-testing in real industrial compost facilities to ensure the product properly disintegrates under real composting conditions.

Why choose CMA Certified compostable products over generic “compostable” items?

Because CMA certification includes real-world composting validation, CMA Certified items are more reliably accepted at industrial composting facilities. Generic “compostable” claims may not hold if there’s no third-party certification or real-world testing, which can lead to rejection or contamination of compost streams.

Are CMA Certified compostable products free of PFAS and other harmful chemicals?

Yes, part of CMA’s certification requirements is a total-fluorine test: items must have less than 100 ppm total fluorine to qualify. This helps ensure they don’t contain persistent PFAS (“forever chemicals”) that could harm compost quality.

How should businesses and consumers dispose of CMA Certified items to ensure proper composting?

CMA Certified products should be sent to industrial composting facilities, ideally ones listed in the CMA facility directory. Because they were field-tested under real composting conditions, they are suitable for the standard compost cycles used by those facilities. Improper disposal (e.g., landfill, regular recycling) may prevent full breakdown.