Even if someone is not very environmentally conscience, chances are they have seen the BPI symbol at some point in their life. Many of them, however do not know what it stands for or represents. This article is here to explore exactly what the BPI symbol means, how the certification process works, and why this is important when it comes to compostable products.
There are two different kinds of BPI certifications: One is from the Building Performance Institute and it monitors the quality of home performance contractors.
The other BPI certification, which is the one that we will be talking about in this article, is from the Biodegradable Products Institute and it refers to the quality of compostable products. Getting awarded the BPI certification means that a product has gone through a rigorous testing process that confirms that it meets the compostable standards of the organization.
When a company obtains the BPI certification on their product it is no small feat. It is something that can have a massive impact on how consumers view the product, which often results in an increase in sales numbers. This is because BPI is the leader of certified compostable products and packaging in all of North America. But aside from the financial benefits of BPI certification, there is also a large environmental benefit as well.
Federal studies have shown that America's waste is being composted at a rate of only 8.9%, while recycling makes up 25.8%, and 52.5% ends up in a landfill. This is having a disastrous effect on our environment and is causing a national crisis due to the lack of space remaining in landfills.
In order to combat this, companies need to start creating products and packaging that is more environmentally friendly such as recyclable K-Cups and compostable K-Cups. However, some companies are not going far enough with their products and packaging in terms of how easily it can be composted, especially when it comes to food and beverage products.
When consumers have food and beverage packaging, it is extremely likely that the packaging will contain food scraps when they are ready to throw it out. So if the packaging is not compostable, then those food scraps are often not being put into the proper bin, which is one of the leading causes of only 5.3% of all food scraps being composted in the United States. If companies are able to create food and beverage packaging that is very clearly compostable, then both the packaging and the food scraps can be thrown out together into the compost bin, ensuring that they get diverted to a compost center rather than a landfill.
The problem arises when it is not made clear enough to customers that the product packaging is compostable. That is where the BPI certification compostable logo comes in handy. This obvious symbol on the packaging will help consumers instantly know that this is a product that has gone through rigorous testing and has been cleared to be composted. So, when consumers see the BPI certified Glorybrew K-Cups, they can be confident that they are allowed to throw them into the compost bin once they are done and help out the environment.
