ISO 15985 is a standard that provides a method for testing how well certain materials can break down in a specific type of waste treatment called anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a process where organic waste is broken down by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen, and it produces biogas as a by-products.

The testing method involves exposing the material to a specific type of microorganisms found in anaerobic digesters that treat household waste. The material is placed in a controlled environment with high-solid conditions, which means there is a lot of solid waste present. The test measures how much of the material’s carbon is converted into biogas, which is a combination of carbon dioxide and methane, by the microorganisms.

Materials that can be tested under this method are plastics or other materials made from organic compounds. It helps determine how well these materials break down in anaerobic digestion conditions, like those found in waste treatment facilities dealing with organic waste from households.