According to regulation EN 13432: 2002, the characteristics of a compostable material are as follows:

Secondo la EN 13432 : 2002, le caratteristiche che un materiale compostabile deve avere sono le seguenti:

• 1. Biodegradability, determined by measuring the actual metabolic conversion of the compostable carbon dioxide material. This property is quantitatively measured using a standard test method: EN 14046 (also published as ISO 14855: biodegradability under controlled composting conditions).
• 2. Disintegrability, i.e. fragmentation and loss of visibility in the final compost (absence of visual contamination). Measured with pilot composting test (EN 14045).
• 3. No adverse effects in the composting process. This requirement is checked with a pilot composting test.
• 4. Low levels of heavy metals (under predefined maximum values) and no adverse effects on the quality of the compost (e.g.: reduced agronomic value and presence of ecotoxicological effects on plant growth).
• 5. The following chemical-physical parameters should not differ from the control compost after biodegradation: pH; salt content; volatile solids; N; P; Mg; K. Each of these is required to define compostability, but are not sufficient alone. For example, a biodegradable material is not necessarily compostable because it must also disintegrate during the composting cycle. On the other hand, a material that breaks up during the composting cycle into microscopic pieces that are not fully biodegradable, is not compostable.