CMA and its partners are solution strategists working between the supply chain and solid waste system to create practical engagement models for zero waste success.
What does CMA do?
CMA is a global leader in providing industrial composting facilities an acceptance standard for compostables by performing field disintegration testing through several prominent processing methods to ensure products sent to industrial compost facilities adequately break down within the production cycle. When products marked “compostable” by packaging industry standards are not also tested in real world processes, the result is costly to compost facility owners, end users and municipalities. Instead of a singular approach to compostables, CMA connects supply chain leaders with top compost manufacturing facilities nationwide to ensure mutual success as co-creators of compost and compostables.
How do we do it?
CMA’s team has pioneered the field-testing process and continues to extend that knowledge to a growing number of partner facilities across North America. CMA receives samples, logs them, and places them at composting site(s) for testing. At the end of the composting cycle, items are sifted from the feedstock and presented in a detailed photo report providing pass/fail information. CMA also offers technical support for meeting ASTM D6400 and D6868 requirements through our experienced technical team, while also working on a substrate innovation program for products in development.
THE GENESIS OF CMA
Learn about the beginnings of CMA, and see where we are headed in 2025 and beyond!
2007-2016
In 2007, Cedar Grove Composting began a compostables field testing program to develop lists of accepted compostables for its municipal partners and commercial accounts. This program became a nationally recognized standard in many cities and venues across the U.S.
2016
Cedar Grove and six partners come together and agree to expand field testing to other primary composting processing facilities in the U.S.
2017
Cedar Grove and six partners come together and agree to expand field testing to other primary composting processing facilities in the U.S.
2019-2022
The Compost Manufacturing Alliance completes the testing of over 2000 items throughout multiple processes, and adds its first Canadian testing affiliate, Walker Industries.
2022 - 2024
CMA shares data from its years of testing to inform stakeholders of the realities and opportunities for products. CMA's field testing method (WK 85822) is introduced in the ASTM D34 Committee,
CMA brings together 50 stakeholders from across the supply chain to discuss the challenges and opportunites for compostables and composting. This initiative expands to a 3-day strategic planning event in Denver, Colorade facilitated by systems experts utilizing the Future Search model.