Biodegradable Bubble Film Testing Service

Biodegradable Bubble Film Testing Service – Accredited Degradation, Mechanical and Safety Evaluation for Global Markets

Our internationally accredited laboratory provides a specialist biodegradable bubble film testing service that supplies manufacturers of eco‑friendly cushioning packaging, compostable protective wraps, plant‑based air‑cellular films, and sustainable logistics materials worldwide with the independent, traceable data they need to verify the biodegradation rate, the compostability, the mechanical strength, the barrier properties, the chemical safety and the long‑term shelf‑life of their biodegradable and oxo‑degradable bubble films. Every test is conducted under the rigorous framework of ISO/IEC 17025, and each report bearing the ILAC mark is unconditionally accepted by regulatory authorities, notified bodies and supply‑chain partners in all major economies. The biodegradable bubble film testing service subjects the film to a comprehensive suite of physical, mechanical, thermal, chemical and environmental‑ageing evaluations, providing the legally robust, defensible data that underpin product certification, eco‑label claim substantiation, compliance with the EU Single‑Use Plastics Directive, the EN 13432, the ASTM D6400 and the ISO 17088 compostability standards, and the guarantee of the protective performance while preserving the planet.

Product Samples We Regularly Subject to Biodegradable Bubble Film Testing

The respirometric biodegradation reactors, the compost‑simulation vessels, the universal tensile‑test frames, the dart‑drop impact testers, the oxygen‑permeation analysers, the gas‑chromatography–mass‑spectrometry systems, the heavy‑metal analysers and the UV‑weatherometers in our facility accommodate a broad variety of biodegradable bubble film formulations and their raw materials. The following categories represent the most frequently tested items:

Starch‑based and polylactic‑acid (PLA) bubble films – the single‑layer and the multi‑layer air‑cellular cushioning films that are manufactured from the renewable, the plant‑sourced biopolymers, evaluated for the tensile strength, the puncture resistance, the biodegradation rate in the soil and the compost, and the compliance with the food‑contact safety standards
Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and the polybutylene‑succinate (PBS) bubble films – the high‑performance, the marine‑biodegradable and the home‑compostable films that are designed for the demanding e‑commerce, the fresh‑produce and the cold‑chain packaging applications, tested for the impact‑absorption, the moisture‑barrier and the disintegration under the ambient conditions
Cellulose‑based and the regenerated‑cellulose bubble films – the transparent, the high‑clarity films that are derived from the wood‑pulp or the cotton‑linter, evaluated for the optical properties, the dimensional stability and the biodegradation in the wastewater and the marine environments
Oxo‑biodegradable and the pro‑degradant‑additive‑containing polyolefin bubble films – the conventional polyethylene or the polypropylene films that are modified with the transition‑metal pro‑oxidant additives to accelerate the fragmentation and the biodegradation, tested for the controlled‑lifetime, the ecotoxicity of the degradation‑products and the compliance with the EU Directive 2019/904 on the restriction of the oxo‑degradable plastics
Blended and the composite biodegradable bubble films – the products that combine the starch, the PLA, the PHA or the PBS with the natural‑fibre reinforcements, the nanoclay‑fillers or the bio‑based plasticisers to enhance the mechanical and the barrier performance, characterised for the multi‑layer adhesion, the thermal‑seal strength and the disintegration under the home‑composting conditions
Prototype, shelf‑aged and the field‑retrieved biodegradable bubble film specimens – the samples that have been stored for a prolonged period, have been exposed to the high‑humidity, the temperature‑cycling or the real‑world composting, submitted for the residual‑property assessment, the molecular‑weight analysis and the failure‑mode investigation

Biodegradation, Compostability and Disintegration – Biodegradable Bubble Film Testing According to EN 13432, ASTM D6400 and ISO 14855

Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradation under the controlled composting conditions by the evolved‑carbon‑dioxide measurement according to ISO 14855‑1 (Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials under controlled composting conditions – Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide) and ASTM D5338: the bubble film is mixed with a mature, the well‑characterised compost inoculum and incubated at 58 °C in the dark, the continuously aerated reactors. The carbon dioxide that is evolved from the microbial metabolism of the test material is trapped and quantified, and the percentage of the solid organic carbon that is converted to the CO₂ is calculated relative to a positive‑control reference material (the micro‑crystalline cellulose). The test is continued until the plateau of the biodegradation is reached, typically for 45 to 180 days. A material is certified as compostable according to the EN 13432, the ASTM D6400 or the ISO 17088 if it achieves at least 90 % biodegradation relative to the cellulose within 180 days. This biodegradable bubble film testing service provides the fundamental biodegradability data that are required for the certification and the eco‑labelling of the product.
Disintegration and the physical‑degradation assessment under the pilot‑scale or the full‑scale composting conditions according to ISO 16929 (Plastics – Determination of the degree of disintegration of plastic materials under defined composting conditions in a pilot‑scale test) and the EN 13432 Annex A: the bubble film is placed in a composting bin or a windrow together with the organic waste, and after a defined composting cycle, the fragments that remain on a 2 mm sieve are quantified, providing the visual and the gravimetric evidence that the film disintegrates into the non‑distinguishable fragments and does not interfere with the compost quality.
Home‑compost and the ambient‑temperature biodegradation testing according to the prEN 17427 (Home and commercial composting of carrier bags and other articles – Requirements and test methods) and the AS 5810 (Biodegradable plastics – Biodegradable plastics suitable for home composting): the test is conducted at 25 °C ± 5 °C using a compost inoculum that represents the less‑thermophilic, the domestic‑compost environment, and the biodegradation and the disintegration are evaluated over a period of up to 12 months, providing the data that the manufacturer needs to label the product as “suitable for home composting”.
Marine and the freshwater aerobic biodegradation testing according to the ASTM D6691 (Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials in the Marine Environment by a Defined Microbial Consortium or Natural Sea Water Inoculum) and the ISO 18830 (Determination of aerobic biodegradation of non‑floating plastic materials in a seawater/sediment interface): the bubble film is incubated in the natural or the synthetic seawater or the freshwater with the indigenous microbial population at 30 °C, and the biodegradation is monitored by the respirometry or the CO₂‑evolution method, providing the data that are used to assess the persistence of the bubble film in the oceans, the lakes and the rivers, and to support the eco‑label claims.
Soil‑biodegradation and the anaerobic‑biodegradation testing under the landfill‑simulating conditions according to the ISO 17556 (Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in soil by measuring the oxygen demand or the evolved carbon dioxide) and the ASTM D5511 (Standard Test Method for Determining Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under High‑Solids Anaerobic‑Digestion Conditions): the bubble film is mixed with the natural soil or the anaerobic‑digester sludge, and the biodegradation is measured over the months to the years, providing the data that the environmental‑fate modeller uses to predict the persistence and the accumulation of the film in the terrestrial and the waste‑disposal environments.

Mechanical Strength, Cushioning Performance and Physical Properties – Biodegradable Bubble Film Testing According to ASTM D882, ASTM D1709 and ISO 527‑3

Determination of the tensile strength, the elongation at break and the Young's modulus by the strip‑tensile test according to ASTM D882 (Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting) and ISO 527‑3 (Plastics – Determination of tensile properties – Part 3: Test conditions for films and sheets): a specimen of the bubble film is cut in the machine direction and the transverse direction and pulled at a constant crosshead speed. The yield strength, the ultimate tensile strength, the percentage elongation at break and the secant modulus are reported, providing the fundamental mechanical data that the packaging‑engineer uses to guarantee that the film can withstand the wrapping‑tension, the handling and the stacking loads. This biodegradable bubble film testing service verifies that the film meets the minimum strength specification for the intended application.
Dart‑drop impact and the slow‑rate puncture resistance according to ASTM D1709 (Standard Test Methods for Impact Resistance of Plastic Film by the Free‑Falling Dart Method) and ASTM D5748 (Standard Test Method for Protrusion Puncture Resistance of Stretch Wrap Film): a hemispherical‑headed dart is dropped from a specified height onto the bubble film, or a probe is driven through the film at a constant speed, and the energy or the force that causes the failure is recorded, quantifying the film's ability to protect the packaged product from the sharp‑object penetration, the accidental drops and the rough handling during the transport and the distribution.
Bubble‑integrity and the air‑retention testing according to the internal validated protocol: the bubble film is subjected to a defined compressive load for a specified period, and the percentage of the bubbles that remain intact and the rate of the air‑leakage are measured, providing the data that the cushioning‑designer uses to guarantee the sustained protective performance of the film over the extended storage and the shipping cycles.
Measurement of the film thickness, the basis weight, the bubble‑height and the bubble‑density according to the internal procedures: the overall thickness, the grammage and the geometric parameters of the bubble‑structure are measured, providing the essential quality‑control data for the production‑line consistency and the batch‑release.
Creep and the stress‑relaxation behaviour under the sustained compressive load according to ASTM D2990 (Standard Test Methods for Tensile, Compressive, and Flexural Creep and Creep‑Rupture of Plastics): a constant compressive load is applied to the bubble film, and the time‑dependent deformation and the loss of the cushioning thickness are recorded, providing the data that the logistics‑engineer uses to predict the long‑term protective performance of the film in the stacked‑pallet and the container‑shipment environments.

Barrier Properties, Moisture Resistance and Thermal Performance – Biodegradable Bubble Film Testing According to ASTM F1249, ASTM E96 and ASTM D2732

Determination of the water‑vapour transmission rate by the modulated‑infrared‑sensor method according to ASTM F1249 (Standard Test Method for Water Vapor Transmission Rate Through Plastic Film and Sheeting Using a Modulated Infrared Sensor) and ASTM E96 (Standard Test Methods for Water Vapor Transmission of Materials): the bubble film is clamped in a diffusion cell, and the steady‑state WVTR in the grams per square metre per day is reported, providing the critical moisture‑barrier data that the packaging‑technologist uses to predict the shelf‑life of the moisture‑sensitive product. This biodegradable bubble film testing service quantifies the effect of the biopolymer‑composition on the moisture‑ingress protection.
Oxygen‑transmission rate by the coulometric sensor method according to ASTM D3985 (Standard Test Method for Oxygen Gas Transmission Rate Through Plastic Film and Sheeting Using a Coulometric Sensor) and ISO 15105‑2: the film is mounted in a permeation cell, and the oxygen that diffuses through the film is detected by a coulometric sensor, yielding the OTR in the cubic centimetres per square metre per day, providing the data for the protection of the oxygen‑sensitive goods.
Thermal‑shrinkage and the dimensional stability under the elevated temperature according to ASTM D2732 (Standard Test Method for Unrestrained Linear Thermal Shrinkage of Plastic Film and Sheeting) and the internal procedures: a measured length of the bubble film is heated in a forced‑air oven at a specified temperature, and the percentage change in the length and the width is reported, ensuring that the film will not shrink or distort during the storage in the hot‑climate warehouse or the container‑transport.
Heat‑seal strength and the hot‑tack performance according to ASTM F88 (Standard Test Method for Seal Strength of Flexible Barrier Materials) and ASTM F1921: a strip containing a heat‑seal is peeled apart, and the seal‑force per unit width and the failure‑mode are reported, providing the data that the converter uses to guarantee the hermetic closure of the biodegradable bubble‑film bag or the wrap.

Chemical Safety, Ecotoxicity and Heavy‑Metal Analysis – Biodegradable Bubble Film Testing for the Regulatory and the Environmental Compliance

Determination of the total and the leachable heavy‑metal content – the lead, the cadmium, the mercury, the chromium, the copper, the nickel, the zinc and the arsenic – by the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry according to the internal validated protocol and the principles of the EPA Method 6020B and the EN 13432 Annex B: the bubble film is acid‑digested, and the concentration of each regulated metal is measured and compared with the maximum‑permitted limits that are specified by the EN 13432, the ASTM D6400 and the national compostability standards, certifying that the film and its degradation products are safe for the soil and the compost. This biodegradable bubble film testing service is the mandatory compliance test for every biodegradable product that is placed on the European and the North American markets.
Ecotoxicity and the plant‑growth inhibition testing of the compost that is produced from the biodegradation of the bubble film according to the OECD 208 (Terrestrial Plant Test: Seedling Emergence and Seedling Growth Test) and the EN 13432 Annex E: the compost that results from the biodegradation test is used as a growth‑medium for the selected plant species, and the germination rate, the shoot‑height and the biomass are compared with the control compost, providing the definitive evidence that the biodegradable bubble film does not release the toxic substances that would harm the plant growth.
Screening for the per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the phthalates and the bisphenol A by the liquid‑chromatography–tandem‑mass‑spectrometry according to the internal validated protocol: the film is extracted, and the concentration of the regulated organic contaminants that could be present as the processing‑aids or the additives is measured, ensuring the compliance with the REACH Annex XVII, the EU Food Contact Materials Regulation and the US FDA requirements for the food‑contact packaging.
Volatile‑organic‑compound and the odour emission testing by the headspace gas‑chromatography–mass‑spectrometry and the sensory‑panel evaluation according to the ISO 16000‑6 and the internal procedures: the bubble film is incubated in a sealed chamber, and the concentration of the volatile organic compounds and the odour‑intensity are measured, providing the data that the brand‑owner uses to guarantee that the biodegradable film does not emit the objectionable smells that could affect the packaged product or the consumer experience.

Shelf‑Life, Storage Stability and Weathering Resistance – Biodegradable Bubble Film Testing for the Long‑Term Performance

Accelerated shelf‑life and the storage‑stability testing according to the internal validated protocol: the sealed packages of the biodegradable bubble film are stored at the elevated temperature – typically 40 °C and 75 % relative humidity – and at the ambient temperature for the defined periods, and the tensile strength, the impact resistance, the bubble‑integrity and the visual appearance are monitored, providing the data for the determination of the expiration‑date and the recommended storage conditions. This biodegradable bubble film testing service is critical for the products that are marketed as the sustainable alternative and must retain their protective function until the time of the use.
Resistance to the ultraviolet radiation and the accelerated weathering according to ASTM G154 (Standard Practice for Operating Fluorescent Ultraviolet Lamp Apparatus for Exposure of Non‑Metallic Materials) and ISO 4892‑2: the bubble film is exposed to a cycle of the UV‑A or the UV‑B radiation, the heat and the condensation, and the colour‑change, the tensile‑strength retention and the surface‑cracking are evaluated, predicting the outdoor‑storage and the exposed‑service life of the film.
Resistance to the mould and the fungal growth according to ASTM G21 (Standard Practice for Determining Resistance of Synthetic Polymeric Materials to Fungi) and the ISO 846: the biodegradable bubble film is inoculated with the spores of the Aspergillus niger, the Penicillium funiculosum and the other common fungi, and the extent of the mould‑coverage and the loss of the mechanical strength are evaluated, providing the data that the specifier uses to approve the film for the humid, the condensation‑prone and the tropical environments.

Report Acceptance and Global Regulatory Compliance

All measurements performed within our biodegradable bubble film testing service are executed under the fully accredited scope of our ISO/IEC 17025 quality management system. Each test report that carries the ILAC mark is therefore automatically recognised by regulatory authorities, notified bodies, customs offices and supply‑chain partners in all major economies. For manufacturers of eco‑friendly cushioning packaging, compostable protective films and sustainable logistics materials anywhere in the world, the report constitutes legally robust, internationally accepted evidence that the biodegradation rate, the compostability, the mechanical strength, the barrier performance, the chemical safety, the ecotoxicity and the long‑term shelf‑life of the biodegradable bubble film have been determined in accordance with the applicable ISO, ASTM, EN, OECD and customer‑specified methods. The documentation can be directly used to support the CE marking, the compostability‑logo certification (the Seedling logo), the EU Single‑Use Plastics Directive compliance, the issue of inspection certificates according to EN 10204 or equivalent national standards, and the resolution of commercial and technical disputes concerning the quality, the environmental performance and the protective function of any biodegradable bubble film product.