World Centric Discontinues BPI Certification

March 20, 2024


Dear Customer,

For the past 20 years, World Centric has been a leading manufacturer of certified compostable foodware products. As a leader in this industry, we have been known to challenge the status quo and carve our own path for progress.

We have decided to move away from BPI certification, due to the BPI requirement to emboss and print their logo on certified products. We see this as an overreach by a third-party certifying body to market themselves by imposing their logo on products. Embossing is difficult to see on products, the BPI logo is not recognized by end customers as an indicator for proper disposal, the BPI logo is not recognized internationally and the cost to retool production lines is high; BPI made this decision without a formal survey and input from its members. Members petitioned BPI to drop this requirement, but BPI has not listened to the widespread opposition from manufacturers to it. Certifying agencies should not be mandating that their logo be added to all products. It is a clear overreach from BPI, which we do not agree with.

It is important to note that nothing has changed in our products. They just will not be BPI certified. The only change we are making is to remove the BPI logo from our cartons, retail packaging, and products (e.g. printed cups).

We will use other third-party certifiers for compostability. Our molded fiber products were recently certified by TUV for both home (TUV OK compost HOME) and industrial (TUV OK compost INDUSTRIAL). TUV OK compost is the most recognized certifier for home compostability which refers to products that compost at lower temperatures making them safe and suitable to go into a backyard compost pile.

Further, we will be certifying products directly with Din Certco, the organization that performs the technical assessments of lab tests for product compostability for BPI certification. Din Certco has been providing this service for BPI since 2017 as BPI does not perform or review any of the testing by itself. Din Certco is internationally known for its independence and technical expertise in compostability standards and assessment.

World Centric stands by the claims it makes on its products. Should you require documentation or have questions about our certification status or testing, please contact your sales manager. For the most current compostability certifications World Centric maintains, please visit our certifications page.

Thank you for being a continued partner.


Sincerely,

Aseem Das, CEO