Flip over a “compostable” coffee bag or mailer and you’ll likely see one of two logos: a green BPI mark or a leaf-shaped OK Compost seal. They look like they mean the same thing, but they’re issued by different organizations, tested against different standards, and — critically — often certify different end-of-life environments. Mixing them up is how well-intentioned packaging ends up contaminating a compost stream or sitting in a backyard bin for years without breaking down.
This guide breaks down what BPI stands for and what it actually certifies, what OK Compost’s sub-labels (HOME vs. INDUSTRIAL) mean, what the phrase “for professional use” printed near some of these logos really refers to, and how to read the specific label — down to the version and registration code — before you toss something in a bin or promise a customer it’s compostable.
Quick Answer
BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) is a North American certifier that tests mainly against ASTM D6400 or D6868 for industrial composting facilities; since opening applications on December 1, 2025, BPI also offers an added Home Compostable Certification layered on top of its commercial one, built on French standard NF T 51-800. OK Compost, run by TÜV Austria, is the European equivalent tested against EN 13432, and has long split its mark into OK Compost INDUSTRIAL (professional/commercial facilities) and OK Compost HOME (backyard bins). Always check which organization’s label is on the package, and which version of it.
What BPI Stands For — and What the Mark Actually Certifies
BPI stands for the Biodegradable Products Institute, a North American nonprofit that has run third-party compostability certification for over 25 years. Its logo is licensed only to products that pass testing under ASTM D6400 (for plastics and bioplastics) or ASTM D6868 (for fiber/paper items with a compostable coating or lining). Testing checks three things: biodegradation within a defined timeframe, physical disintegration into pieces too small to sieve out, and eco-toxicity — confirming the finished compost won’t harm plant growth.
Historically, a BPI mark meant industrial/commercial composting only — the high-heat, actively managed facilities many municipalities still don’t operate or don’t accept flexible film packaging into. That changed with BPI’s new Commercial & Home Compostable Certification program: a product must already hold BPI’s Commercial Compostability Certification before it can add the home-compostable layer, plus meet stricter limits on substances like PFAS and heavy metals. In practice, a plain BPI “Certified Compostable” mark still means industrial-only unless the packaging specifically names the added home-compostable certification — most BPI-marked packaging on shelves today predates the home program and remains industrial-only. You can confirm any product’s exact status by searching BPI’s own online product database rather than trusting the logo alone, since certifications can lapse or be misused.
What OK Compost Certification Actually Covers
OK Compost is TÜV Austria’s certification scheme, tested against the EN 13432 standard — the same underlying standard referenced by the separate ‘Seedling’ logo used across Europe (a different mark, issued by a different body, for the same compliance). Unlike BPI’s traditionally single-tier mark, OK Compost has long split into distinct labels for different environments, so the specific variant on the package matters: OK Compost INDUSTRIAL guarantees breakdown in a managed industrial composting plant at roughly 55–60°C, requiring at least 90% biodegradation within about six months and disintegration into particles too small to sieve out (under 2mm) within 12 weeks. OK Compost HOME is the stricter-in-some-ways companion certifying the item breaks down in an ordinary backyard compost bin at much lower, ambient temperatures — a bar most industrially-certified plastics cannot clear.
TÜV Austria also issues related but separate marks that shouldn’t be confused with either compost logo: OK biodegradable SOIL (breakdown directly in soil, no compost pile involved) and OK biobased (a renewable-content claim with nothing to do with compostability). Because OK Compost is a European scheme, seeing it on a package doesn’t guarantee a composting program outside Europe will accept the item — accepted materials and infrastructure vary widely by region and municipality.
What “For Professional Use” Means on a Compostable Label
If you’ve seen a package marked “compostable for professional use,” that phrasing is standard shorthand attached to OK Compost INDUSTRIAL (and functionally, BPI’s plain commercial mark): it means the product is certified to break down only in a professionally managed, industrial composting facility — not in a backyard pile. “Professional” and “industrial” are used interchangeably in this labeling because EN 13432 and the EU Packaging Directive define the qualifying environment as a controlled facility that reaches sustained temperatures of about 55–60°C, something a home compost heap essentially never achieves on its own.
So when a label says “for professional use” (or just “industrial”), treat it the same way you’d treat a plain BPI mark with no home-compostable add-on: it needs to go to a commercial composting program, not your backyard bin, and only a separate HOME or home-compostable certification changes that.
How to Identify Which Label — and Which Version — Is on Your Package
Both certifiers use recognizable but distinct imagery: BPI’s mark is a circular, green “BPI Certified Compostable” seal, while OK Compost uses a leaf/seedling-style icon paired with the words “OK compost” and a qualifier — INDUSTRIAL or HOME — printed directly beneath or beside it. Genuine OK Compost labels also carry a unique alphanumeric registration code issued to that specific product or company (formatted like a letter-plus-digits code), which you can look up through TÜV Austria’s OK Certification portal to confirm it’s active and matches the claimed product.
Practical checklist: (1) confirm which organization issued the mark — BPI or TÜV Austria — since they’re not interchangeable; (2) read the qualifier word — HOME/home-compostable vs. INDUSTRIAL/commercial/professional — rather than assuming from the logo family alone; (3) if no qualifier is printed at all, treat the item as industrial/commercial-only; (4) cross-check the product or registration number against the certifier’s public database before making a compostability claim to customers, since counterfeit or lapsed marks do circulate.
Tips and Common Mistakes
Don’t treat ‘biodegradable’ and ‘compostable’ as synonyms — biodegradable is an unregulated, largely meaningless claim on its own, while a certified compostable label means the item was independently tested against a defined standard and timeframe. Trust only the certification logo plus its standard, not generic wording like ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘plant-based.’
Certified compostable does not mean recyclable or landfill-safe: these items typically need a separate organics/compost stream, and putting them in standard recycling can contaminate that stream. Before promising customers a product is ‘compostable,’ confirm your local municipal or commercial composting program actually accepts that material — many still exclude flexible film pouches even when BPI- or OK Compost-certified.
BPI vs OK Compost certification labels FAQs
What does BPI stand for?
BPI stands for the Biodegradable Products Institute, a North American nonprofit that certifies compostable products against ASTM D6400 and D6868, primarily for industrial composting facilities.
Is a BPI-certified product automatically home compostable?
No. A standard BPI mark certifies industrial/commercial composting only. A product is home compostable under BPI’s scheme only if it separately carries BPI’s added Home Compostable Certification, launched for applications on December 1, 2025.
What’s the difference between OK Compost INDUSTRIAL and OK Compost HOME?
OK Compost INDUSTRIAL certifies breakdown in a professionally managed facility at roughly 55–60°C, requiring at least 90% biodegradation within about six months and disintegration into sub-2mm particles within 12 weeks. OK Compost HOME certifies breakdown in an ordinary backyard bin at much lower, ambient temperatures — a stricter real-world bar that most industrially-certified plastics can’t clear.
What does “for professional use” mean on a compostable label?
It’s the standard phrasing for OK Compost INDUSTRIAL (and plain BPI commercial certification): the product is verified only for a professionally managed industrial composting facility, not for a home compost pile.
How can I get more info or verify a specific product’s certification?
Use each certifier’s official public database rather than trusting the printed logo alone: BPI maintains a searchable online product/company database, and TÜV Austria’s OK Certification portal lets you look up a product’s registration code to confirm the mark is active and genuine.
Does OK Compost certification mean my local composting program will accept the item?
Not necessarily. OK Compost is a European standard, so acceptance outside Europe depends entirely on your local municipal or commercial composting program’s accepted materials list.
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