By: Mimi Martinez
As plastic pollution and environmental toxicity from plastic waste become more widely recognized concerns for consumers, many product producers are making a shift. This includes producers of single-use items who are turning to plant-based plastics in the pursuit of labeling their products as "compostable" or "biodegradable" in the hopes of assuring consumers that their products will decompose through certain disposal methods. However, the lack of standardization for these terms and the absence of accountability tied to their use have created a systemic risk of greenwashing.
Compostable is a subset of biodegradability, referring to an item’s ability to be composted, or converted into decomposing organic matter mixtures.[i] Biodegradable, on the other hand, refers to the larger umbrella under which compostability falls. It simply means an item’s ability to decompose under natural conditions through microorganisms' ability to digest the item’s building blocks.[ii] When put in the context of product labels, biodegradability typically refers to the ability of a product to break down into naturally found substances in the environment, within a reasonable time frame. Compostable products, however, refer to those that have been tested and found to be capable of decomposing in either home or industrial composting sites. The absence of standardization in these definitions and the lack of accountability tied to their use have led to a systemic risk of greenwashing.
Looking at standards, there is currently no federally binding regulation for either of these terms. Consumers can look to biodegradation and compostability certifications as guidelines for understanding whether a product will truly decompose in specific contexts, and if so, what the best disposal methods may be. These certificates often establish scientific targets that products must meet to qualify for either label. Common certifications for compostable items include the Biodegradable Product Institute (BPI), which independently verifies that products meet ASTM standards in the US and can safely break down in soil after being processed at commercial composting facilities. ASTM standards require that items break down or fully degrade in under 90 days and disintegrate into natural elements in a compost environment, leaving no toxicity in the soil. The Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA) also conducts additional real-world tests to confirm that products are truly compostable. TÜV AUSTRIA's OK compost HOME certification ensures that a product can break down in a home composting environment, even at lower temperatures, within less than a year.
Biodegradable, outside of ASTM certifications, do not tend to offer timescales. For example, wood is biodegradable, but a log cabin can stand for generations. Without certification, there is little way for consumers to know how long a product will take to decompose.[iii]
To address the challenges posed by misleading labels and greenwashing, it is crucial for both consumers and regulators to push for clearer, standardized definitions and stronger enforcement of sustainability claims. While certifications like BPI, CMA, and TÜV AUSTRIA provide valuable guidelines, the lack of federal regulations leaves much to be desired in terms of consumer protection and accountability. Moving forward, more stringent standards and better oversight will be necessary to ensure that compostable and biodegradable products truly live up to their claims and contribute to a more sustainable future.
[i] https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home#whatcom
[ii] https://www.eea.europa.eu/help/glossary/eea-glossary/biodegradable
[iii] https://www.goodstartpackaging.com/biodegradable-vs-compostable-what-is-the-difference/#:~:text=The%20Federal%20Trade%20Commission%20(FTC,in%20less%20than%20a%20year.
