COMPOSTING BASICS - BIODEGRABLE vs. COMPOSTABLE
Heather Kerns, Contributor
Compostable and biodegradable labels appear on more and more packaging — but they don’t mean the same thing. Understanding the difference is an important first step toward making better waste management decisions.
What Does Biodegradable Mean?
Unlike compostable, there is currently no universal legal definition for the term “biodegradable,” which makes it more of an umbrella term. A biodegradable product is one that can be broken down by living organisms like fungi. Over time, these organisms break the material down into compounds that naturally occur in the environment.
What Does Compostable Mean?
For a product to be labeled compostable, it must meet much more specific criteria.
Compostable is a term used to describe a product that can break down or disintegrate into natural, non-toxic elements at a rate similar to that of comparable organic material. The result of this process is compost — a nutrient-rich soil amendment that can be used to support plant growth.
When it comes to manufactured products like cups or containers, composting occurs under very specific heat, humidity, and microorganism activity conditions. This “perfect” environment is typically only found in industrial composting facilities.
Don’t worry — your home composting system can still effectively break down food scraps on its own, because they are much easier to decompose than manufactured products.
Why does it matter?
It is important to remember that if something is compostable, it is technically biodegradable — but not all items marketed as biodegradable are compostable. This distinction is why the term compostable should be used carefully and only for products that meet these stricter criteria.
Understanding this difference is an important first step toward making more informed material and waste management decisions.
Looking for compostable certifications…
There are several certification standards that make checking for compostability quick and relatively simple. We’ll cover these in our next blog post: Composting Basics – Composting Certifications.
Need help navigating compostable products? WasteNaut can help identify certified compostable items as well as the right waste management solutions.
REFERENCES:
Biodegradable vs. Compostable. BPIWorld. Accessed February 26, 2026. From https://bpiworld.org/biodegradable-vs-compostable
LifeMade: Biodegradable vs. Compostable - What’s the Real Difference and Why Does it Matter?. LifeMade Blog. Accessed March 9, 2026. From https://lifemadeproducts.com/press-media/compostable-biodegradable-standards