A few years ago, Bedford Industries, Worthington, MN, developed a biodegradable twist tie for bakeries looking for ways to make their businesses and products even more environmentally friendly. The biodegradable closure met the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D5511-02 standard after independent testing showed that the tie would biodegrade within a year. However, the tie does not meet the biodegradable compostable ASTM 6400 standard used in California.

The twist tie’s performance and physical properties are the same as those of Bedford’s conventional twist ties. The tie’s biodegradability is not affected by sunlight or moisture, so it won’t prematurely degrade on supermarket shelves.