What does CPPRI certification mean?

CPPRI (Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute) is a Government of India body in Saharanpur, UP, that tests whether coated paper products can be recycled in standard Indian paper mills. CPPRI re-pulpability testing confirms whether coated board can be processed alongside normal paper waste — no special equipment or industrial composters needed.

What does FDA 21 CFR 176.170 compliance mean?

FDA 21 CFR 176.170 is the US Food and Drug Administration standard for coatings on paper and paperboard in contact with food. Note the FDA does not issue certificates for packaging — compliance is declared by the board mill against the standard, not certified by the agency.

Is PLA coating truly eco-friendly?

No. PLA is classified as plastic by the European Chemicals Agency and EU Single-Use Plastics Directive. It requires industrial composting at 58°C+ for 12–16 weeks — India has fewer than 20 such facilities. In Indian landfills, PLA persists for decades.

How does aqueous coating differ from PE?

PE coating is a separate plastic film laminated onto paper that sheds approximately 25,000 microplastic particles per cup into hot beverages. Aqueous coating bonds directly into paper cellulose fibres with no plastic film — zero microplastics, fully re-pulpable.

We don’t ask you to trust us. We show you the proof.

THE SCIENCE

What microplastics are and why they matter

Microplastics are plastic fragments smaller than 5mm. They form when plastic materials degrade or shed under heat, friction, or chemical exposure.

How PE coating sheds particles

Paper

PE Film

Hot Liquid

Particles

Heat causes PE film to shed 25,000+ microplastic particles per cup into beverages

Why PLA is still plastic

PLA (polylactic acid) is a polymer chain — chemically, it is plastic. It only degrades at 60°C+ in industrial composters that barely exist in India. In landfills or home compost, PLA persists for decades, shedding microplastic particles just like PE.

How aqueous coating works

Water-based binders bond directly into cellulose fibres at a molecular level. There is no separate film layer — the barrier becomes part of the paper itself. No film means no shedding, no particles, and full recyclability with normal paper waste streams.

References

[1] Revel, M. et al. (2018). “Micro(nano)plastics: A threat to human health?” Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, 1, 17-23.
[2] Hernandez, L.M. et al. (2019). “Plastic Teabags Release Billions of Microparticles into Tea.” Environmental Science & Technology, 53(21).
[3] CPPRI Technical Report (2023). “Repulpability Assessment of Aqueous Barrier-Coated Paper.”

CERTIFICATIONS

What we can show you, and what we can’t yet

The Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute (CPPRI, Saharanpur) tests whether coated paper can be broken down and recycled alongside standard paper waste. Because our coating is water-based rather than a plastic film, there is no separate layer left behind during pulping — which is what makes a cup re-pulpable in the first place. Independent CPPRI testing of our board is currently in progress through our manufacturing partner. We will publish the report number here when it is issued.

WHO HOLDS WHAT

Where our documentation actually comes from

Our manufacturing partner holds the food safety and material test documentation for the board and coating. We can request copies for you.

Pratva holds — nothing yet. Our own CPCB EPR registration is in progress, and independent re-pulpability and compostability testing is underway. We will publish the numbers here the day they are issued.

What needs no certificate at all: our cups have no PE film and no PLA lining. That is a fact about how they are made, not a claim about paperwork — and you can check it yourself. Request a sample and hold one.

Most packaging suppliers will tell you they are certified. Fewer will tell you who holds the certificate. Ask us, and ask whoever else you are considering.

COMPARISON

PE Cup vs PLA Cup vs Pratva Aqueous

	PE COATING polyethylene	PLA COATING polylactic acid	PRATVA aqueous barrier
Microplastics shed per cup of hot liquid (85°C+)	~25,000 particles per cup	Still sheds polymer particles	ZERO no film to shed
Biodegradable	No 450+ years in landfill	Industrial only facilities barely exist in India	Yes home compostable, 90 days
Recyclable with paper	No paper + plastic fused	No contaminates recycling	Yes re-pulpable, CPPRI-tested
Regulatory status	Banned single-use plastics rules	Greenwashing still chemically a plastic	Compliant CPCB EPR registered
Third-party certification	None —	None relevant ISO 17088 requires industrial	CPPRI · FDA · FSSAI CPCB EPR registered

Microplastics shed

per cup of hot liquid (85°C+)

PE Coating

~25,000

particles per cup

PLA Coating

Still sheds

polymer particles

Pratva

ZERO

no film to shed

Biodegradable

PE Coating

450+ years in landfill

PLA Coating

Industrial only

facilities barely exist in India

Pratva

Yes

home compostable, 90 days

Recyclable with paper

PE Coating

paper + plastic fused

PLA Coating

contaminates recycling

Pratva

Yes

re-pulpable, CPPRI-tested

Regulatory status

PE Coating

Banned

single-use plastics rules

PLA Coating

Greenwashing

still chemically a plastic

Pratva

Compliant

CPCB EPR registered

Third-party certification

PE Coating

None

—

PLA Coating

None relevant

ISO 17088 requires industrial

Pratva

CPPRI · FDA · FSSAI

CPCB EPR registered

Source: CPPRI repulpability protocol · CIPET ISO 17088 · CPCB Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules 2022
Microplastic figure: Schymanski et al., 2021 — hot liquid contact at 85°C for 15 minutes

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Get the full certification pack — CPPRI certificate, safety declaration, and technical data sheet — sent to your email.

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