Press Release – The Compostable Field Testing Program (CFTP) Secures Key Funding for Expanded Research
The Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) and Eco-Products have committed initial funding for the Compostable Field Testing Program’s next stage of research on the disintegration of compostable products.
| USA & CANADA, September 12, 2025: The Compostable Field Testing Program (CFTP), an international open-source research initiative, announced today that it has raised an initial $68,000 to help fund the next stage of its groundbreaking research. This funding milestone reflects growing support from across the composting and packaging sectors for the program’s mission: bridging the gap between lab-based compostability certification and real-world composting conditions. This fundraising campaign ensures that the program can continue to deliver valuable data to the industry in 2026-27. Early funders show strong support The first two major contributions to this current fundraising effort were provided by BPI and Eco-Products, Inc., leading organizations committed to advancing the responsible use and recovery of compostable packaging. Longtime supporters of the CFTP, this newest investment shows confidence in the CFTP’s data-driven approach and its value to research at the intersection of composting and compostable packaging. Leslie Rodgers, Marketing & Communications Director at BPI, said “BPI’s continued support of the CFTP reflects our mission to advance credible data and science-based solutions, building trust across the value chain and ensuring compostable packaging contributes meaningfully to a circular bioeconomy. The CFTP’s open-source model builds confidence and empowers composters, policymakers, and businesses with the insights needed to scale sustainable solutions.” Since 2016, the CFTP has led the world’s only open-source effort to collect field data on how certified compostable foodware and packaging break down at industrial composting facilities. The next phase of research is expected to expand testing to new geographies, incorporate additional product types and representative operating conditions, and continue to advance standardized testing methods. The CFTP has been a foundational partner to establish standardized field test methods via ASTM International. CFTP’s test methods were donated to the now-published ASTM D8618 and ASTM D8619 standards as part of the program’s efforts towards transparency and open-source collaboration. The CFTP’s future work involves continued collaboration to iterate and refine these methods as continued field work with composter feedback informs developments. The future of field testing is bright, with the learnings from a decade of iterative evolution paving a path towards improved research techniques, more robust data generation, and publications. This work is critical to informing compost facility acceptance policies, guiding packaging design, and supporting policies that drive food waste diversion. “Achieving a $68,000 contribution within our first stage of fundraising is a strong signal of industry commitment to transparent, science-based solutions for compostable packaging,” said Diane Hazard, Executive Director of the Compost Research & Education Foundation, “This support will help us continue building the world’s most comprehensive dataset on real-world disintegration, enabling composters, policymakers, and manufacturers to make better-informed decisions.” Contribute to the future of field testing The CFTP is actively seeking additional contributions. Support for this next stage of research will accelerate progress toward a circular economy harmonizing compostable packaging with composting infrastructure while generating high-quality compost. Visit the Compost Research & Education Foundation to join other industry leaders in driving impact. For more information about the Compostable Field Testing Program, its open-source dataset, and the focus of work for the program’s next phase, visit: www.compostabletesting.org. About the Compostable Field Testing Program The Compostable Field Testing Program, or CFTP, is an international non-profit research platform which provides the method and materials to conduct field testing to composters across North America and beyond. Operating since 2016 as a collaborative venture between CREF and its partner BSIbio, the CFTP provides a standard test kit and a customizable protocol for the common ‘mesh bag method’. When participating facilities share back their results, this data is collected by the CFTP, aggregated and anonymized for eventual public release in an online database. This provides baseline data correlating composting conditions with the disintegration of common compostable products and packaging, enabling CREF, the public, the composting industry, compostable products industry and academics to develop tools for composters wanting to understand best practices for processing these feedstocks, and for product manufacturers to design products suited for real-world operating conditions. About the Compost Research & Education Foundation The Compost Research & Education Foundation (CREF) was established in 1992 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. CREF supports scientific research, promotes public awareness, and educates the compost community to advance environmentally and economically sustainable organics recycling. CREF has produced key publications that inform best practices for effective organics management, including the Test Methods for Evaluating Compost and Composting and The Composting Handbook. CREF also conducts the Compost Operations Training Course, the industry gold standard for education on compost facility management. About BSIbio Packaging Solutions BSIbio Packaging Solutions Inc. is a compostable products distributor headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, dedicated to creating products that add value to the environment. The company’s research program in field testing began in 2013, and BSIbio co-founded the CFTP in 2016. Passionate about the science of truly compostable packaging, the company has helped retailers and residents successfully close the loop in the circular economy since 2005. www.bsibio.com Contact Emily McGill Program Director, Compostable Field Testing Program hello@compostabletesting.org |
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