US-based Eco-Products, a brand managed by packaging company Novolex, has launched a new packaging product range called Veridian with labels focused on compostability.

The products have labels to make it easier for consumers, composters and the foodservice value chain to differentiate between compostable and non-compostable products.

All the items are designed to meet new labelling rules in Washington state and Colorado that require the use of the word "compostable," a third-party certification mark and a combination of colour and design elements that varies by state.

The packaging includes the label "compostable," displays the BPI [Biodegradable Products Institute] certification mark signifying that the material is compostable, and features green or brown identification elements such as tinting and stripes that further distinguish them from their non-compostable counterparts.

The Veridian line contains more than 50 items across a wide range of categories including cold cups and lids, hot cups and lids, clamshells, deli containers, portion cups, salad bowls and cutlery.

Contamination from non-compostable products continues to be the biggest challenge facing composters accepting compostable products, and it significantly impacts the growth of composting infrastructure designed to process food scraps and packaging together. The result is more food sent to landfills.

In late 2023, Eco-Products launched the CIRC (Controls Intended to Remove Contamination) programme - an open-source, systems approach to contamination mitigation for the foodservice industry.

Eco-Products director Wendell Simonson commented: "Consistent on-item labelling is essential to giving foodservice operators, their customers and composters the ability to quickly and easily identify packaging as compostable.”