Janet Thoman joined the Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA) as the Compliance Director and General Counsel in 2019. After 14 years in private law practice, Janet joined CMA to combine her passion for civil justice and her commitment to real-world solutions to environmental challenges. She received her law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 2006 and has been an active volunteer and organizer for many social and environmental causes. She is a member of the Washington State Bar Association, National Lawyers Guild and is a Board Member of the WashingtonOrganics Recycling Council (WORC).

Session Code: 5C

Track: Future of Compostable Products

Session Name: Can We Move The Needle on Compost Manufacturer Acceptance of Compostable Packaging? Field Testing Data and What’s Next

Session Time: Thursday, February 8, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Presentation Title: CMA’s Field Testing Data: Resetting Assumptions

Presentation Description: CMA will present general data on in-field testing results of products designed to be compostable. This will include breakdown by substrate type and composting technology. General takeaways are intended to dispel common misperceptions about substrates and facility similarities and differences. Specifically, we will address the assumptions that: 1) disintegration results are and can be the same across composting technology types; 2) fiber products disintegrate better than biopolymers, and; 3) biopolymers do not disintegrate in composting.