MWV’s MWare Food Service Paperboard Receives Biodegradable Products Institute’s Compostable Certification

MeadWestvaco Corp. (NYSE: MWV) announced today that its MWare food service paperboard has been certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Cups, plates and other disposable containers made from MWare® PLA-coated and uncoated bleached paperboard can be commercially composted with food waste and can feature BPI’s compostable label.

"Consumers are increasingly concerned about how their habits impact the planet, including their use of disposable cups and plates,” said Dobbie Newman, director of Food Service Marketing, MWV. “Providing certified compostable solutions that can be diverted from the landfill waste stream and are made from renewable resources gives our customers additional options for meeting their food service packaging needs. While we recognize that commercial composting facilities for these products are limited, we view composting as an important end-of-life option for organic materials and believe that commercial composting capacity will continue to grow. This achievement is also an important element of enabling MWV to meet its own sustainability goals.”

All MWare paperboard materials are made from Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified, sustainably sourced paperboard and can be made with up to 30 percent post consumer recycled fiber. MWare Balance coated cup stock is made with PLA (polylactic acid), a bio-based resin that offers the functional performance of non renewable coatings but is made with annually renewable resources.

“All BPI approved products meet the stringent compostabilty requirements of ASTM D6400 or ASTM D6868, which assure that they will quickly disintegrate and biodegrade in a professionally managed composting facility,” said Steve Mojo, BPI Executive Director. “Our label has tremendous recognition with composters and municipal officials across throughout North America. It is exciting to see leading companies like MWV participating in our program.”

Each MWare product underwent a battery of tests to receive the ASTM D6868 compostable certification, the international standard for compostable plastic-coated papers. Certification ensures that all MWare baseline bleached paperboard materials are compostable in professionally managed composting sites and can be adapted to future innovations in coatings.

MWV is committed to sustainability in its own business practices, as well as helping customers achieve their sustainability goals. MWV was the first paperboard manufacturer to develop and introduce a food service-grade post-consumer recycled fiber hot beverage cup that complies with USFDA and ISEGA food contact standards.

More information about MWV’s compostable packaging materials and solutions for hot and cold cups, serviceware and takeout containers can be found at www.mwv.com/FoodServicePackaging/index.htm.

About MWV

MeadWestvaco Corporation (NYSE: MWV), provides packaging solutions to many of the world’s most-admired brands in the healthcare, beauty and personal care, food, beverage, media and entertainment, home and garden, tobacco, and commercial print industries. The company's businesses also include Consumer & Office Products, Specialty Chemicals, and the Community Development and Land Management Group, which sustainably manages the company’s land holdings to support its operations, and to provide for conservation, recreation and development opportunities. With 20,000 employees worldwide, MWV operates in 30 countries and serves customers in more than 100 nations. MWV manages all of its forestlands in accordance with internationally recognized forest certification standards, and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the sixth consecutive year. For more information, please visit www.mwv.com.

About BPI

The BPI is a not for profit trade association of groups from government industry and academia that promotes the use and recovery of compostable materials and products. Its current members include major U.S. resin suppliers, compostable end-use product manufacturers, government officials, and the scientific community from around the globe. For more information, visit www.bpiworld.org.

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