Why? Because it’s confusing (and for now not as good as it sounds)
TELLING FACT
Tesco have told their suppliers not to use compostable plastics as it’s so hard to dispose of them properly.
Right, we have pretty much torn our hair out trying to get an accurate steer on the world of compostable / biodegradable packaging. So prepare to be amazed and dismayed!
Some quick definitions:
Biodegradable: Biodegradable means that something can break down and return to nature. For it to be classified as such it needs to decompose typically within a year or less (vs something like plastic that can remain intact for hundreds of years).
Compostable: Basically, Biodegradable Plus. When compostable materials break down, they release valuable nutrients into the compost/land contributing to soil fertility (which is incredibly important). They also typically break down much faster.
So, looks like compostable comes up trumps, right? Except, that at present, most compostable packaging can only be processed by industrial composters, which aren’t yet common in our council waste facilities. That means we cannot put most compostable items in the council food composting collection bin. Even packaging marked with the home compostable symbol (see below) has to be checked with your council first (and usually it can’t be). If you have a home-composter though you’re good to go.
What if we don’t have one? Wait for it…we have to put the ‘compostable’ packaging in the landfill bin. ‘Biodegradable’ gets the same treatment. Trouble is when both compostable and biodegradable get to landfill, they don’t compost or biodegrade the way they would in the soil, because landfills lack the microbes and oxygen needed (and the actual soil!). So the earth’s soil gets more and more depleted, as the good stuff is not going back in the way it would in nature. And we mostly just get some more greenhouse gases. Excellent.
So, what do we do?!
Well, at the moment we’re in a no-mans land, as the waste management world is not yet ready for the transition. While we wait for the infrastructure to become available to handle these (ultimately good) packaging shifts, here’s some rules of thumb:
First and foremost, do not get lulled into a false sense of sustainability when you see the compostable label. Compostable right now mostly = landfill. Except for the few that can be put in your own home-composter or the very few your council will take - check their rules. That’s the disturbing truth.
Do not put any compostable plastic in your recycling as it’s designed to be broken down and will contaminate the whole recycling batch. It goes in the bin.
Home composting is great! But only put in packaging with the official ‘home composting’ symbol (see below). You can’t put the industrial stuff in.
Be wary of the term ‘bio-plastics’ - they’re still plastic. More on that one soon.
Overall, best you can, refuse. Try and shun disposable / single-use items wherever you can - think loose fruit and veg, reusable food containers, reusable coffee cups, etc. We just need to be using as little packaging as we can, and when we do, for now recyclable is pretty much the best way to go.
Here’s the home-composting-approved symbols we need to look out for:
Have something to ask or share with everyone? Please post it in the box below.
And…is there something you’re proud of, big or small (guppy bag bought, natural pesticide home made…) Email us, so we can feature you on our Weekly Shout Out. It’s a real boost for everyone!
We…
Aimee: Why is nothing ever straightforward?! Yet another reminder that our waste management facilities would be greatly improved if we had a single national organisation, such as TerraCycle, who could be tasked with turning these good developments of better packaging into postive results for the planet.
Sonia: Seriously. Wot.
“Thou shalt not bin”
Photo: Silas Baisch