HARTSVILLE, S.C. (News release) -- Duro^®, a Novolex^® brand, announced that it has earned Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certification for even more of its paper bags and sacks.

Now featuring more than 100 SKUs that have been tested and certified by BPI, Duro is adding to the growing number of certified commercially compostable products offered by Novolex. Certification by BPI assures customers that the packaging can be processed in a commercial compost facility.

The newly certified bags include Duro recycled kraft paper shopping bags as well as lawn and leaf bags. They join other Novolex products that have already earned BPI certification, including compostable produce bags, T-shirt bags, can liners, and foodservice items from Eco-Products^®.

"At Novolex, we take great pride in reducing the environmental impact of packaging and offering the best in sustainable products," said Adrianne Tipton, PhD, Chief Technology Officer at Novolex. "These latest certifications from BPI demonstrate our commitment to be constantly innovating for the benefit of our customers, our communities and our planet."

BPI says the certifications are important, noting that while the terms "biodegradable" and "compostable" may appear to be synonymous, there are critical differences.

"While everything that is compostable is technically biodegradable, not everything that is biodegradable is compostable because there are specific third-party standards and time frames associated with compostability that do not exist for biodegradability," BPI states. "This becomes particularly important when the terms are used to describe the end-of-life attributes of products and packaging."

Duro is one of the leading manufacturers of paper bags and sacks in North America, offering products that include specialty bags for direct-food contact, bags with convenient handles, compostable bags and bags made with recycled content. Continually innovating to support the diverse needs of its customers, Duro is a trusted source of sustainable packaging for grocery, retail, pharmacy, foodservice and other industries.

Duro products certified by BPI include Dubl Life^® bags made from 100% recycled materials, with a minimum of 60% post-consumer recycled paper. Dubl Life bags are also FSC^® certified. The certification, developed by the Forest Stewardship Council, lets consumers know that the product comes from responsibly managed sources.

In addition, Dubl Life bags feature the How2Compost^TM and How2Recycle^® labels, which further explain to consumers how to dispose of the packaging after use.

The Duro bags will be on display Saturday through Tuesday at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago at Booth #3216.

More information about Duro bags and sacks can be found at www.novolex.com/duro-bag/.