SCA napkins attain certification from compost group

September 12, 2011

SCA, Philadelphia, a global hygiene company and maker of the Tork® brand of away-from-home (AFH) paper products, is the first AFH manufacturer to attain certification on its line of napkins from the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), an independent compost certification group. This initiative ensures the napkin’s product lifecycle from development, production, use, and disposal remains environmentally responsible.

“It was extremely important for us to obtain independent verification on the proper degradability of this core product in SCA’s portfolio,” said Mike Kapalko, the company’s sustainability marketing manager. “As more cities across North America develop compostable waste systems, such as those in San Francisco and Vancouver, we’re proud to announce to our customers that our napkins are safe to compost in large-scale facilities and will turn into organic matter, ultimately helping lessen landfill waste.”

The BPI certification verifies that all Universal and Advanced Tork napkins, including custom print, can be disposed of safely and will biodegrade quickly in municipal and commercial composting facilities. For paper products to be approved by the BPI, they must meet the requirements in ASTM D6868, based on testing in a BPI-approved independent laboratory, and the results must be verified by third-party experts.

The Universal and Advanced napkins also carry the EcoLogo™ and Green Seal™ certifications.