ACPP
ASTM compliance
Tested against a published standard
Products meet ASTM D6400 or D6868, ensuring they break down completely and safely in commercial composting environments.
ACPP / BPI Certified
Yes, we are
BPI certified.
American Choice Paper Products, Inc. is actively BPI certified. Our foodservice range is officially listed within the Biodegradable Products Institute online directory — a public database, which means you do not have to take our word for any of this.
- ASTM D6400 / D6868 compliance, verified by independent laboratories
- Total organic fluorine tested under 100 ppm — no added PFAS
- Every certified SKU registered in the public BPI directory
Verified standards
What holding this
certification means.
By holding the certification, our product catalogue meets strict third-party criteria — not a self-declaration, and not a membership badge.
Fluorine / PFAS free
Below the contamination limit
Items are tested to ensure they do not exceed strict limits for total fluorine, preventing chemical contamination of the soil the compost ends up in.
Industrial biodegradability
No toxic residue left behind
The certification proves our single-use foodservice packaging disintegrates efficiently without leaving toxic residues behind.
Covered product categories
What our active
licence covers.
Certification is granted per SKU, not per company — so the useful question is always which items are listed, and we publish the answer.
Molded fiber dinnerware
Bowls, plates, platters and portion cups.
Food packaging
Clamshell containers, trays, produce containers and pizza boxes.
Beverage supplies
PLA-coated paper cups, molded fiber lids and dome lids.
Straws
Specific SKU lines of PLA-lined paper straws.
Carry bags
Kraft paper carry bags and food bags with paper handles.
Wrapping paper
Grease-resistant sheets for handheld and tray service.
The standard itself
What a product has to
survive to earn it.
BPI bases its testing on the official North American ASTM standards and adds its own restrictions to prevent toxic pollution in soil. The requirements fall into three strict pillars.
Pillar 01
Core scientific performance
ASTM D6400 / D6868
- —
Biodegradation (ASTM D6400 / D6868)
The product must chemically break down into carbon dioxide, water and natural biomass at the same rate as regular yard waste or food scraps.
- —
Physical disintegration
The item must fragment. After 12 weeks of composting, less than 10% of the material’s dry weight may remain on a 2 mm sieve.
- —
Soil safety (eco-toxicity)
The resulting compost is used to grow plants in a lab. Growth rate and weight must reach at least 90% of plants grown in untouched soil, proving there is no toxic residue.
- —
Heavy metal caps
The material must test well below maximum safety thresholds for lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and zinc.
Pillar 02
The strict PFAS restriction
Under 100 ppm
- —
Zero added PFAS
The manufacturer must legally sign off that no fluorinated chemicals were used in making the product.
- —
Laboratory testing
Total organic fluorine must measure under 100 parts per million. A product that tests higher is instantly disqualified — there is no partial pass.
Pillar 03
Product eligibility rules
Food & yard waste only
- —
Food and yard waste connection
The item must be designed to be collected alongside organic waste — takeout bowls, food-contact straws, coffee pods, trash liner bags.
- —
No disassembly
The final consumer product must be compostable as a single unit. A user cannot be expected to separate a lining from the paper before throwing it away.
No asterisk needed
Where an ACPP cup
actually ends up.
Three honest outcomes, in the order you would want them. We would rather you know the third one from us than find it out from a customer.
Best case
Commercial composting facility
Sustained heat, moisture and microbial activity — the exact conditions the material was certified against. This is where a certified cup becomes compost instead of trash.
Partial
Backyard compost pile
A home pile runs cooler and slower. Thin items break down; heavier board and the PLA lining take much longer and may not finish. BPI certification does not cover home composting, and neither should your packaging claim.
Reality
Landfill or general trash
Landfills are sealed against air and moisture on purpose. Almost nothing decomposes there on a useful timeline. The material still avoids adding conventional plastic, but it will not disappear — and you should not tell a customer it will.
The claim, written properly
ACPP products are BPI certified and designed to compost in industrial facilities. Commercial composting is not available in every U.S. municipality — check whether a facility in your area accepts foodservice packaging before telling customers a cup will compost. A certification describes the product; it does not describe your city’s waste system.
Talk to us
Ask us for the certificate and the SKU list.
We will send the BPI documentation, the directory listing and the exact claim wording your packaging can carry. Within 48 hours.