What Does a Foodservice Container Marked “Compostable” Tell Me That “Biodegradable” Doesn’t?
Posted by Eco-Products on Jan 31st 2018
Compostable and Biodegradable are terms on consumer products that often cause uncertainty and confusion. The truth is composting is a very specific type of biodegradation, and clarification distinguishing the two terms is critical to successful communication about our GreenStripe™ items.
Biodegradable simply means that an item can be broken down by microbes over some time period. This time period could be hundreds or even thousands of years. Nearly everything is biodegradable if the time period is long enough!
The term compostable, on the other hand, means that an item will break down within a reasonable amount of time and will not leave behind anything detrimental to plant life. The end result is a valuable material that can enhance soil health, called compost.
Look for this label to ensure a product is indeed compostable.
When looking for compostable products, be sure to check for certification by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), which is the leading third-party certification for compostable products and is based on lab testing standards set by ASTM.
Beware of the term biodegradable by itself, as it cannot promise you the benefits of composting. In fact, biodegradable alone on a package is relying on your perception that all things biodegradable will just “go away” somehow. Please know that without verification of composability, it’s highly unlikely for the product to break down like some manufacturers want you to believe.
At Eco-Products, we believe in the importance of rethinking today’s system of disposable packaging. The current paradigm of taking petroleum from the earth and turning it into a product that is designed to be used for a short time then get sent to a landfill forever just doesn’t seem like the best idea for a planet with limited resources and a growing population. Doesn’t it make more sense to use renewable resources for such products, so they can be composted, returned to the soil, and help grow more plants? Which could then make more cups, that could help grow more plants to make more cups…? These are the kinds of big ideas that get us excited. We obsess about all things Zero Waste so our customers don’t have to.
If any of your customers have questions about this sustainability topic, or any other, please put them in touch with our Sustainability Maven at sustainabilitymaven@ecoproducts.com. We Got This.