Author: food scraps into black gold by choosing a compost method that’s right for you.
We’re also breaking down the difference between home composting and industrial, especially when it comes to our products.
Are Compostable Single-Use Products The Answer?
In a world of single-use compostable products vs. reusables, reusables win.
Surprised we said that?
Don’t be! Our company was created to fight plastic, and our team of ecowarriors is all about bringing our reusables wherever possible.
But we live in reality, and we know it’s not always possible. Life gets busy, plans change at the last minute, and sometimes you just want things to be easy.
And that’s where our compostable tableware comes in to save the day.
Single-use compostables are infinitely better than plastic and they’re helping people have conversations about the bigger problem. Change happens one small step at a time.
Home Compostable vs Industrial Compostable vs Biodegradable
What’s the difference between these three words you see on sustainable product labels?
Biodegradable
A biodegradable item will disintegrate with the help of microorganisms without hurting the environment. It has no time limit or end material qualifiers (unlike compostable).
If you feel this is a little vague, you’re not alone! A biodegradable label is often used to mislead and greenwash. While California has made it illegal to use biodegradable on a label without a 3rd party certification, there aren’t many other rules around using the word.
Our products have been tested as biodegradable, but because of the confusion around the word we leave it off and focus on the compostable benefits.
The caveat: A ‘biodegradable’ label tells you nothing. Everything breaks down, but not everything (bio)degrades. Plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces ( microplastic and nanoplastic), but it will always be plastic.
Compostable
A compostable item also decomposes with the help of microorganisms into a nutrient-rich substance in a temperature and oxygen-controlled environment.
To earn a compostable certification (like ours D6400; D6868 & TUV), the items need to decompose by at least 90% within 6 months.
Here’s where it gets fun! Within the label of compostable, there are two different kinds. Neither is better than the other, they both shine in their own way.
Home/Backyard Compostable
A home compost is great at composting simple organic material like regular household waste. Some items suitable for a home compost are:
- Food scraps
- Coffee grounds and filters
- Grass and plant clippings
- Eggshells
- Shredded paper
- Brown bags
- And old shredded cardboard (for starters).
A backyard composter typically creates lower temperatures than an industrial composter. This is why it’s more suited for “simple” organic items that break down relatively quickly.
An industrial compost is better for items that take a bit longer to decompose or might attract pests and rodents to your home pile.
Industrial compostable
An industrial compost has more sophisticated equipment that creates a more controlled process at a higher temperature, which produces a sanitized end product. This means the end product can be sold as fertilizer!
An industrial facility can not only compost organic household materials but also the harder stuff as well, such as:
- Bones
- Oil & grease
- Meat scraps
- Dairy products
- Fruit pits
- Baked & cooked food (leftovers)
- Bioplastics
- Compostable food packaging and storage
- Compostable packaging materials
When you’re reading a label, you want to look for certifications that specify whether "industrial composting" is needed.
Because of the materials we work with, some of our products are home-compostable and some are industrial-compostable.
Do Compostable Plates & Products Break Down In Landfills?
This is important: nothing breaks down in a landfill.
There’s a whole lotta stuff other than organic matter sitting in a landfill. Landfills are holes in the ground meant to hold stuff, they aren’t designed for decomposition.
This is why 58% of landfill methane emissions come from food waste and why adding even a simple home compost is a huge measure against climate change and emissions. Home composting also:
- Reduces the amount of waste headed to a landfill.
- Reduces a landfill’s methane emissions.
- Saves energy, emissions, and pollution from incinerators and leaf burning.
- Saves energy (and fossil fuels) compared to transporting and processing landfill waste.
- Becomes a safe, reusable product that can help create new (plant) life and even be used as fertilizer (from an industrial facility).
So if compostables don’t compost in the landfill, what’s the point?
Compostable products still offer benefits. Take our compostable trash bags for example.
- They are plant-waste-based
- They reduce reliance on traditional plastic bags
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They will still break down into a harmless substance, but because of the
Sippakorn Yamkasikorn/pexels
If you’re just getting started or have limited space, you might want to consider outsourcing it! All you have to do is collect the scraps and give them to someone else to do the dirty work.
- City program Our very first recommendation is to check your local municipality for an existing program. Looking at just 3 major cities:
- NYC’s curbside composting program will be available to all boroughs starting in October 2024.
- All LA households serviced by the LASAN have access to a curbside composting program.
- Residents in Chicago can participate in the city’s Hot & Cold Cups 16 oz
- Hot & Cold Cups 12 oz
- Hot & Cold Cups & Lid Set (only the cup is home compostable, the lid is industrial)
- 3 Gallon Small Bin Bags
- 13 Gallon Tall Kitchen Bin Bags
- PHA (Non-Paper) Straws
- Assorted Cutlery
- Compostable Forks
- Compostable Spoons
- Hot & Cold Cup Lids
- 6” Dessert Plates
- 9” Everyday Plates
- 10” Dinner Plates
- 8” Square Cocktail Plates
- 16 oz Bowls
- And everything from the home compost list above
- Certified Compostable = Industrial Compost Facility Required
- Certified Home Compostable or Certified Compostable, Commercial and Home = Either home compostable or industrial compostable
This means they can break down quickly in a backyard compost pile alongside other organic materials like food scraps and yard trimmings and they will break down into nutrient-rich compost.
Not sure if you have access to a home or industrial pile? No worries! Check out your services website for clarification. If that’s not an option, it’s best to assume it’s a home compost pile and treat it as such (meaning don’t toss in any Repurpose industrial items).
Industrial compostable items at Repurpose
While many Repurpose products are superstars in the home compost bin, some are better suited for industrial composting facilities with a little more power. Industrial composting ensures these products break down efficiently without attracting pests or creating odors in your backyard setup.
Remember, every item that is home compostable can also go in an Industrial composter ( find an industrial composter near you)! You can always find which type of composter a Repurpose product needs to go to on its product page.
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