bioWRAP® is tested for anaerobic biodegradation under ASTM D5511 by an independent, third-party laboratory. This page publishes the test data behind that claim, so it can be checked rather than taken on faith.
What is ASTM D5511?
ASTM D5511 is published by ASTM International, a standards organization whose technical standards are used across manufacturing, construction, and materials testing worldwide. The standard's full title is "Standard Test Method for Determining Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under High-Solids Anaerobic-Digestion Conditions." It's the method labs use specifically to measure how a plastic material breaks down in landfill-type conditions, where oxygen is absent and microbial digestion happens inside dense, compacted waste.
Not every biodegradability claim uses this standard. Some rely on tests built for composting or marine environments instead, which measure different conditions entirely. A landfill claim tested under ASTM D5511 and a compostability claim tested under a different standard aren't measuring the same thing, even when both use the word "biodegradable."
Test summary
|
Parameter |
Value |
|---|---|
|
Test method |
ASTM D5511 (anaerobic biodegradation, high-solids environment) |
|
Result |
80.2% biodegradation |
|
Test duration |
1,130 days |
|
Test conditions |
Anaerobic, landfill-simulated |
|
Sample tested |
bioWRAP®, 7.5 mil shrinkwrap film |
|
Testing laboratory |
Eden Research Laboratory, Albuquerque, NM (independent, third-party) |
|
Report status |
Ongoing study, update as of day 1,130 |
|
Report date |
August 14, 2026 |
bioWRAP® is undergoing a third-party ASTM D5511 testing with last update of 1,130 days (just over three years). Under these simulated high-solids anaerobic conditions, the material reached 80.2% biodegradation, independently verified by Eden Research Laboratory. Actual results in real-world landfill environments vary with temperature, moisture, and waste composition.
The full report, including raw data, is available for download below.
Methodology
ASTM D5511 is the standard test method for determining anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials in a high-solids environment, designed to simulate landfill conditions. Testing runs in a controlled digestion vessel, where the sample is exposed to an anaerobic microbial inoculum under conditions consistent with municipal solid waste landfills.
As microorganisms digest the material, they produce biogas, primarily methane, carbon dioxide and water. The lab tracks cumulative gas volume and composition (percent CH4, percent CO2) over the test period, then calculates biodegraded mass against the sample's theoretical maximum. The result is reported as a percentage of biodegradation at a specific day count, benchmarked against negative and positive control samples run in parallel.
This is a landfill-specific test. It does not measure aerobic composting, marine biodegradation, or general environmental persistence. The 80.2% result applies only to these simulated anaerobic, high-solids digestion conditions, not to any specific real-world landfill. That result reflects a 1,130-day test period to date.
Key terms
- Anaerobic: without oxygen. Landfills become anaerobic environments once waste is buried and compacted.
- High-solids environment: a test environment with a high ratio of solid material to liquid, replicating the dense, compacted conditions inside a landfill rather than a diluted lab solution.
- Biogas: the mix of methane and carbon dioxide microorganisms release as they digest organic and biodegradable material. Tracking biogas output is how ASTM D5511 measures biodegradation.
What this means for you
A landfill biodegradation result doesn't mean bioWRAP® breaks down during the storage, in transit, or while it's doing its job outdoors. It means that once the film reaches a landfill and enters anaerobic conditions, microbial activity starts and measurably breaks it down over time, verified by an independent lab under a named standard.
If you're comparing shrink wrap suppliers on biodegradability, ask each of them for the same data set shown above: the standard, the lab, the sample, the test dates, and the result. A supplier who can't produce all five isn't offering something comparable to this report.
For the full performance picture beyond biodegradation, including UV stability, weldability, and fire ratings, see the bioWRAP® product page.
Frequently asked questions
What does the 80.2% result represent?
It's the percentage of the sample that converted to biogas, water and organic matters over 1,130 days of anaerobic digestion testing under ASTM D5511, measured against the theoretical maximum for the material. It reflects landfill conditions specifically, not general environmental exposure.
Is this test still ongoing?
Yes. This report is an interim update at the 1,130-day mark of an ongoing ASTM D5511 study. Results will be updated as testing continues.
How is ASTM D5511 different from a composting standard?
ASTM D5511 measures anaerobic biodegradation under landfill-type conditions. Composting standards test aerobic breakdown under different temperature, moisture, and microbial conditions. A landfill result doesn't imply compostability, and a composting result wouldn't imply landfill biodegradation either.
Get the report
Download the full ASTM D5511 report (PDF) The complete lab report: test dates, sample details, and raw data.
Have questions about the method or the result? Talk to a bioaqualife expert and we'll walk through it with you.
