• Rathi Mekala
• | January 1, 2020
• | CrozBorder University
• | 19 Comments
• | areca leaf plates certifications, microbial testing for areca plates

Areca leaf plates certifications

When you are choosing to purchase Areca plates over the standard disposable plates, you would want to make sure that the Areca plates you choose are actually as healthy and eco-friendly as they are advertised or claimed to be. 

The plates can be tested and certified by competeing authorities and private agencies before exporting. We have composed a complete and comprehensive guide for buyers looking for information areca palm leaf plates testing and certifications.

Areca palm leaf plate certification can be classified into:

• Health tests:
  • Anaerobic Plate Count – APC35C.
  • PhytoSanitary Certification (Plant quarantine test)
• Biodegradability/compostability tests.
  • ASTM D-6400
  • ASTM D-6868
  • ASTM D-6866

Health Testing Methods

As indicated by the name, these are the tests used to check whether an Areca plate product is safe and healthy to use or not. The following tests are officially classified as health tests for Areca plate certification:

Anaerobic Plate Count – APC35C

This method simply provides a “count” or number of the microorganisms present in or on the Areca plates – primarily the anaerobic and mesophilic bacteria. Anaerobic means that they can survive without oxygen and mesophilic means that they can grow at temperatures around 35 degrees Celsius. The microbes that have both these characteristics can be detected by the test – thus giving a clear idea about the pathogens that a product might contain that can cause serious health issues for the consumers or users.

Method:

The method that is used to obtain the Anaerobic Plate Count involves the keeping of the sample in a petri dish that contains a nutrient-rich medium like agar to sustain the microbes under anaerobic (free of oxygen) conditions and at the temperature of 35 degree Celsius. It provides certification for the Areca plate or palm dinnerware regarding its health impacts.

Phyto-Sanitation (Plant Quarantine)

As you know, palm leaf dinnerware is made from the sheath from the areca nut tree. It is plant material it is mandatory to get plant quarantine certification before export for the following reasons:

• To prevent the introduction of a new kind of pests from the source country to the importing country. Because this pest may cause the problem to the crops.
• To promote safe global trade.

The method of plant and animal “quarantine” was first applied around the mid-1300s, subsequent to the spread of a malignant malady called Black Death in Europe. A waiting period of 40 days was imposed on all the animal and plant stock being imported into Italy from other countries to ensure that the stock is free of any kind of disease.

Method

The Inspector randomly pulls the sample from the consignment for testing and this will be sent to the lab for testing.

Visual Examination:

Using a illuminated magnifying glass the sample will examined to detect live pests.

X-Ray: 

X-ray tests are used to detect hidden infestation. This is especially done for seeds and legumes.

Microscope:

The sample will examined using a powerful stereomicroscope for the infestation on the surface. This will done mainly items made out of plant material.

Source: http://plantquarantineindia.nic.in/
Vectors by Vecteezy

The following is a phytosanitary certificate issued by Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage. It is mandatory to get tested and certified by these organization before customs clearance for export.

Biodegradability/Compostability Testing Methods

These methods are used to certify the eco-friendly side of the palm dinnerware – making sure that it degrades or decomposes under the action of biological decomposers (biodegradability) and under compost conditions (compostability).

ASTM D-6400 Testing

This Areca plate certification method is mainly used to test plastics and other materials to certify that they are biodegradable under certain conditions provided by a standard compost facility. This method only and specifically certifies that the palm dinnerware is bound to decompose in a compost facility – above 50 degree Celsius – but not certain to decompose in a home compost environment as there is a very low chance of home composts achieving temperatures as high as the ones required.

Method

It is a test that lasts 90-180 days, and it is carried out in multiple steps used to analyze an Areca plate through the following three techniques:

• Elemental Analysis – a quantitative (how much) and qualitative (which type) analysis of the elements that constitute the Areca plate.
• Phytotoxicity (Plant Germination) – a test to judge whether the Areca plate decomposes into substances harmful to plant growth.
• Mesh Filtration of the Resulting Particles – to analyze what the dinnerware can decompose into.

ASTM D-6868 Testing

The Areca plates that incorporate plastics and polymers in their coatings or binders are sometimes made to be composted in an aerobic compost facility – an airy environment where there is adequate oxygen for biological decomposers to survive and thrive. The palm dinnerware is kept in an aerobic industrial or municipal compost facility to test whether it is actually degradable.

Method

The Areca plates are tested to see whether they:

• Decompose during composting.
• Are biodegraded in the compost conditions provided within 180 days?
• Decompose into substances harmful to plant growth.
• Produce metal elements in the compost facility.

ASTM D-6866 Testing

This is a method used to test the bio-based or organic carbon content of any product sample. It can be used to determine what amount of carbon it can contaminate the environment with if it is burned. The technique can be used effectively to delve deeper into the carbon content of the Areca plates or other palm dinnerware to understand whether it can harm the environment.

Method

The method used to analyze the bio-based carbon content is radiocarbon dating. The radioactive carbon is mixed with the samples to create a carbon footprint and thus evaluate how much bio-based carbon content a product has. It does not measure biodegradability – it only provides a measure of the carbon content and certifies the eco-friendliness of Areca plates and other palm dinnerware based on that.

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Rathi Mekala

Rathi co-founded CrozBorder Exports in the year 2017 and deals with manufacturing, consolidating and supplying eco-friendly products(Areca plates) to global customers.