GB/T 18006.3-2020General requirement of degradable disposable tableware (English PDF)

5.3.5 Heat resistance

5.3.5.1 Hot-water resistance After the hot-water resistance test, it shall not be deformed, peeled, or wrinkled; and the tableware with container function shall not be deformed, infiltrated or leaked. The two tested samples shall be no obvious deformation, infiltration and leakage, either. The hot-water resistance test only has requirements for degradable disposable tableware that may contain hot vegetables, hot foods and hot drinks, such as boxes, cups, bowls, etc.; it has no requirements for the degradable disposable tableware that do not require heat-resistance, such as plates, dishes, knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, lids, etc.; it also has no requirements for the degradable disposable tableware that are labelled heat-labile. Degradable disposable tableware made of materials that are heat-labile, including foamed and non-foamed tableware, shall be clearly marked with the highest heat- resistant temperature. The hot-water resistance test shall be carried out according to the marked temperature during the test. If there is no mark, it shall be uniformly tested as the heat-resistant degradable disposable tableware.

5.3.5.2 Hot-oil resistance After the hot-oil resistance test, it shall not be deformed, peeled, or wrinkled; and for the tableware with container function, it shall not infiltrate or leak. The two tested samples shall be no obvious deformation, infiltration and leakage, either. The hot-oil resistance test only has requirements for degradable disposable tableware that contains hot vegetables and hot foods, such as boxes and bowls, etc; it has no requirements for the degradable disposable tableware that do not require hot-oil resistance, such as plates, dishes, knives, forks, chopsticks, cups, etc.; it also has no requirements for the degradable disposable tableware that are labelled heat-labile.

5.3.6 Water leakage For degradable disposable tableware that have the function of containing liquids, such as boxes, bowls, cups, etc., no water shall leak after the test. Test two samples, and there must be no leakage. The volatile solid content shall be >=51%.

5.7 Degradability The degradability shall meet the following requirements at the same time:

a) The relative biodegradation rate shall be >=90%, and the biodegradation rate of organic components with components >=1% in the material shall be >=60%.

b) If the degradable tableware is composed of a mixture or a composite of multiple materials, the organic ingredients with a component content of < 1% shall also be biodegradable, but proof of biodegradability may not be provided, and the total amount of each component shall be < 5 %. NOTE: The biodegradability of organic ingredients with a component content of < 1% can provide corresponding product inspection reports or enterprise self-declaration.

5.8 Compostable degradability

5.8.1 Biodegradation rate The biodegradation rate shall meet the following requirements at the same time:

a) The relative biodegradation rate shall be >=90%, and the biodegradation rate of organic components with components >=1% in the material shall be >=60%.

b) If the degradable tableware is composed of a mixture or a composite of multiple materials, the organic ingredients with a component content of < 1% shall also be biodegradable, but proof of biodegradability may not be provided, and the total amount of each component shall be < 5 %.

5.8.2 Disintegration rate The disintegration rate shall be >=90%.

5.8.3 Ecotoxicity The ratio of plant germination rate to plant biomass shall be >=90%. NOTE: Composability is only required when the degradable disposable tableware is declared to be compostable. Degradability is a manifestation of the degradation ability of degradable tableware under different environmental conditions. The detection method can be compost, water environment, soil and other conditions, but compostable mainly means that degradable tableware can be completely degraded under composting conditions. During the test, take three samples for inspection; and take the average of the three samples' inspection results as the final inspection result.

6.9 Content of heavy metals and specific elements

6.9.1 Heavy metal content The sample is digested by high-pressure system microwave; and then tested by an atomic absorption spectrometer according to GB/T 15337; or tested by a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer according to GB/T 37837. During the arbitration, testing shall be conducted in accordance with GB/T 15337.

6.9.2 Fluorine content The sample quartz sand is mixed in a combustion boat; cover with an appropriate amount of quartz sand; and calcine in a high-temperature furnace at 1250°C for 15 min under the condition of injecting water vapor and oxygen; and the condensate is collected. The fluorine content test is performed with a plasma chromatograph.

6.10 Volatile solid content Volatile solid content is tested according to Method A specified in GB/T 9345.1-2008, and the test temperature is 550°C.

6.11 Degradability The biodegradation rate is tested according to GB/T 19277.1 or GB/T 19277.2 or GB/T 19276.1 or GB/T 19276.2 or GB/T 22047 or GB/T 32106 or GB/T 33797. If necessary for arbitration, test according to GB/T 19277.1.

6.12 Compostable degradability

6.12.1 Biodegradation rate The biodegradation rate is tested according to GB/T 19277.1.

6.12.2 Disintegration rate The disintegration rate is tested according to GB/T 19811.

6.12.3 Ecotoxicity test According to the provisions of

6.4.4 in GB/T 28206-2011, OECD 208 and revised Appendix E in EN 13432:2000, the test is carried out. The plant budding rate and plant biological mass of the test sample compost against the blank compost (not tested or added reference substance in the test) test, which is at least 90%.

7.2 Classification of inspection

7.2.1 Exit-factory inspection The exit-factory inspection items include appearance, structure and use performance.

7.2.2 Type inspection Type inspection items are all items in the requirements except for degradation performance. In one of the following situations, type inspection shall be carried out:

a) The first batch of production;

b) When the variety of raw materials, product structure, production process or equipment changes;

c) There is a big difference between the exit-factory inspection result and the last type inspection result;

d) When production is stopped for more than 6 months and resumed;

e) When continuous production for one year;

f) When required by the relevant national quality supervision department.

7.3 Sampling plan

7.3.1 Appearance and structure The secondary normal sampling plan of GB/T 2828.1 is adopted. The inspection level (IL) is the general inspection level II; and the acceptance quality limit (AQL) is 6.5. The samples and judgment arrays are shown in Table 2. Each unit of packaging is regarded as a sample unit; and the unit packaging can be a box, a bag, a piece, etc. During the test, randomly select a product from each unit of packaging as a sample for inspection.

7.4.1.2 Use performance The use performance is judged according to 5.3; if all the index inspection results are all qualified, then the item shall be judged to be qualified. If there are unqualified items, double samples shall be taken from the original batch to re-inspect the unqualified items, when the re-inspection results are all qualified, the item is judged to be qualified; otherwise, the item is judged to be unqualified.

7.4.1.3 Water content If the water content is unqualified, a double sample shall be taken from the original batch for re-inspection. If all the re-inspection results are qualified, the item shall be judged to be qualified; otherwise, the item shall be judged to be unqualified.

7.4.1.4 Degradability The Degradability of degradable disposable tableware is judged according to 5.7. If the test result is qualified, it shall be judged to be qualified; if it is unqualified, the degradation performance shall be judged to be unqualified.

7.4.2 Judgment of qualified batches If the inspection results of all inspection items are all qualified, then the batch is judged to conform to this Part.