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The world of composting can be confusing. In a perfect world, you’d be able to throw a compostable product in your home compost and watch it disappear. But we’re not quite there – yet.
The way you dispose of a compostable product depends on the composting facilities available in your area and the product’s certification type (this one’s a biggy, because there are a lot of fake or misleading certifications out there).
So, if you’ve ever wondered how to dispose of compostable packaging, this guide is for you.
In Simple Terms – Where To Put Compostable Packaging
Compostable packaging should be made to end up in one of two places – a home compost or an industrial compost.
A home compost is what’s in your backyard. You can throw things like food scraps, grass clippings and leaves into your home compost and they’ll break down over several months, sometimes years.
An industrial compost, also called commercial compost, is a controlled setting with specific temperatures and inputs (like water, air, carbon and nitrogen-rich materials). Because of the controlled settings, a commercial compost rapidly breaks down organic materials. This also means you can compost a broader range of materials and products.
Ok, But How Do You Know if a Compostable Product Should Be Sent to a Home or Industrial Compost?
The answer lies in the Certified Compostable Logo from European Bioplastics. This is the source of truth regarding a product’s compostability claims across Europe, and it’s also considered a trustworthy logo throughout Asia.
To gain an Industrially Compostable Certification (EN13432) or Home Compostable Certification (NFT51-800) products need to undergo rigorous testing and hold a compostability licence number. In Europe, the trusted certification bodies that do that are the TÜV Rheinland Group and DIN CERTCO.
To check if a product is certified, look for one of these two logos AND the company’s sub-licence number stated underneath.
Industrially Compostable (EN13432)
Home Compostable (NFT51-800)
How To Dispose of Compostable Packaging With the Certified Compostable Logo
Home Compostable (NFT51-800) Certified Products
This one’s simple, when you see this logo you can throw it in your backyard compost and watch it disappear! This could be a worm farm, traditional backyard compost, bokashi compost or another home composting method.
We hope that with time and innovation, more and more packaging products will become Certified Home Compostable – this is the ideal solution.
Don’t have a home compost? Here are a few ideas to help you:
- Visit your local community garden. Check if they have a communal compost and whether they accept Certified Home Compostable packaging.
- Strike up a conversation with your neighbours and see if they’ll take your compost for you. You can meet your neighbours here.
- Set up a home compost. It may be easier than you think and there are options for small spaces and apartments.
Industrially Compostable (EN13432) Certified Products
When you see this logo, packaging products can be sent to an industrial compost facility.
Unfortunately, there’s limited access to industrial composting facilities across the UK. That’s why we started Compost Connect – a platform connecting businesses across London and Birmingham to commercial composters.
We’re currently powered by our partnership with Zap Waste and First Mile, and looking to onboard more composters to make this service available throughout the UK. Find out if there’s a local commercial compost service in your area today.
If you’re an individual, you can support businesses that compost or write a letter to your local council to encourage more action on a government level.
Can I Just Put My Compostable Packaging in Landfill?
If a product is Certified Industrially Compostable and there are no industrial compost facilities available, the last option is to place it in your regular waste to be sent to landfill or incineration. We recognise this isn’t the ideal place for compostable packaging to end up (these methods emit potent greenhouse gasses or harmful chemicals).
In saying that, compostable packaging going to landfill or incineration is still better than the alternative: traditional plastic packaging going to landfill. Why? Because traditional plastic packaging is made from energy intensive, fossil-based resources, whereas compostable packaging is made from rapidly renewable, plant-based resources, so it’s a more sustainable production process.
Why Does The Composting Certification Matter?
Any product or company can claim they’re ‘certified compostable’ but these claims don’t mean anything without proof. Under European Bioplastics, products have to go through stringent, time-consuming and costly test regimes.
What’s worse, products that mimic compostable packaging certifications but aren’t properly certified can contaminate compost.
This is why we – as consumers – should always trust and support products showing the correct logos.
Beware of Greenwashing – Incorrectly Used Compostable Logos
By knowing the certified compostable logos (and spotting any false claims that fall outside of this) consumers can take a stand against greenwashing. The more products we have displaying the certified compostable packaging logo, the better.
Here are a few examples of incorrectly used compostable logos.
You can see in this example, a company has made their own ‘certified compostable logo.’ This is greenwashing and not verified by TÜV Rheinland Group and DIN CERTCO.
You can see in this example, the company has used the home compostable logo but doesn’t have a certification number beneath it. This makes it unclear for the consumer on how to correctly dispose of the product.
You can see in this example, the company has used the home compostable logo and the certification number. However, there’s no company licence number beneath it. This makes it hard to know whether they’re actually certified.
Is Composting the Best Choice for Foodservice Packaging?
Composting is a form of recycling – organics recycling! So when both traditional recycling and organics recycling are done correctly, we can reduce what we send to landfill and work towards a zero waste circular economy.
We see composting as the perfect end-of-life option for foodservice packaging. That’s because packaging and food waste can all go in one bin. This will ultimately help keep food waste out of landfill.
How To Dispose of Compostable Coffee Cups
Certified compostable coffee cups can be treated the same as other certified compostable packaging.
- If it holds the Home Compostable (NFT51-800) Certification, throw it in your backyard compost.
- If it holds the Industrial Compostable (EN13432) Certification and you’re a business, check whether compost collection is available in your area.
Can Compostable Packaging Be Recycled?
Technically, composting is a form of recycling – organics recycling!
But if you’re wondering about other forms of recycling for food service packaging, you should always look for the On-Pack Recycling Labels (OPRL logos) developed by an independent not-for-profit organisation that verifies what packaging is or isn’t recyclable in the UK recycling collections.
It’s important to note, many food service packaging products aren’t recyclable if they contain food residue (hence why we see composting as the best end-of-life option for the food service industry). Some products will also claim they’re recyclable but they aren’t.
RECYCLE
This label is applied to packaging collected by 75% or more of UK local authorities and then sorted, processed and recycled into new packaging or products.
DON’T RECYCLE
This label is applied to packaging collected by less than 50% of UK local authorities and/or is not able to be sorted, processed and recycled into new packaging or products.
RECYCLE | RINSE
Rinsing recyclable packaging, like yoghurt pots and soup tins, ensures that any food or product residue doesn’t contaminate other materials, particularly if they are collected together with paper.
RECYCLE | RINSE | LID ON
Caps and lids under 40mm in diameter are too small to be captured for recycling, they fall through the holes in the screens at the sorting facilty. If you see this label, putting the lid back on the bottle packaging will help it to be captured and recycled.
RECYCLE WITH BAGS AT LARGE SUPERMARKETS | DON’T RECYCLE AT HOME
You can see this label on plastic wrapping such as bread bags, fruit and veg bags, crisp packets and chocolate wrappers. You can recycle this type of packaging at recycling points in selected supermarkets.
RECYCLE | BOTTLE CAP ON | DON’T RECYCLE | REMOVE SLEEVE
Some packaging components need separating before you dispose of them. You may see a label like this on packaging where a sleeve, film or liner can be easily removed from the main packaging item. In this case, the sleeve is removed from a bottle by pulling a perforated strip, the bottle can be recycled but the sleeve goes in the rubbish.
How To Dispose of Compostable Packaging
To sum things up, here’s three steps on how to dispose of compostable packaging:
- Check that it’s properly certified to European standards. Look for the Industrially Compostable (EN13432) and Home Compostable (NFT51-800) logos and the company’s sub-licence number.
- If it’s certified to European standards, throw it in your home compost (NFT51-800) or send it to an industrial compost facility (EN13432).
- If you’re a business in London or Birmingham, see if you’re in the zone of compost collection.
