Bill > HB556

This bill prohibits the sale or offering for sale of products labeled as biodegradable or compostable in New Hampshire unless they meet specific third-party certification standards. Specifically, products must be certified by an organization like BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) or other entities that adhere to the ASTM 6400 standard, which is a technical specification developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials that defines the requirements for compostable plastics. The bill amends the existing solid waste management regulations in New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA) 149-M:27 by adding a new paragraph that establishes this requirement. The new regulation aims to prevent misleading product labeling and ensure that products marketed as biodegradable or compostable actually meet scientifically recognized standards for breaking down in commercial composting environments. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage, giving businesses time to adjust their product offerings to comply with the new certification requirements.

Business and Industry

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0817&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HB556