What's the difference between compostable and biodegradable packaging?

The terms biodegradable and compostable are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. Understanding the difference is important when selecting packaging and determining how it should be recovered at the end of its life.

What is the difference between compostable and biodegradable packaging?

While all compostable materials are biodegradable, not all biodegradable materials are compostable. The distinction lies in the conditions under which a material breaks down and whether it has been independently verified against recognised compostability standards.

Degradable

The term degradable simply means a material is capable of breaking down over time.

This process may occur through sunlight, heat, oxidation, mechanical forces or biological activity. Because the term does not describe how a material breaks down or what it becomes, it provides little information about environmental performance or appropriate disposal.

For example, conventional plastics degrade into progressively smaller plastic fragments and microplastics rather than fully biodegrading.

Biodegradable

An extension of degrading. A biodegradable material can be broken down by naturally occurring microorganisms into substances such as carbon dioxide, water and biomass.

However, biodegradability alone does not specify where, how quickly or under what conditions this process occurs. A material may biodegrade in one environment but not another, and simply claiming a product is biodegradable does not indicate the appropriate disposal pathway.

Compostable

Compostability is a specific type of biodegradability.

To be considered compostable, a material must biodegrade under defined composting conditions while also meeting additional requirements for disintegration, ecotoxicity and chemical characteristics within specified timeframes.

Recognised standards, including EN 13432, AS 4736 (commercial composting) and AS 5810 (home composting), define these requirements and provide the basis for independent certification.

Using these terms accurately helps businesses select appropriate materials, avoid misleading environmental claims and ensure products are directed to the correct recovery system.

When assessing packaging, it is important to consider:

the intended end-of-life environment
whether the product has been independently certified
the disposal pathway available to the end user.

What is EN 13432?

EN 13432 is the European standard that specifies the requirements packaging must meet to be considered suitable for industrial composting and organic recycling. It forms the basis for many internationally recognised compostability certification programmes and has influenced equivalent standards around the world, including Australia's AS 4736.

Packaging certified to EN 13432 is designed to biodegrade in industrial composting facilities, where temperature, moisture, oxygen and microbial activity are carefully controlled. These facilities typically operate at temperatures between 50°C and 60°C, creating the conditions required for certified compostable materials, such as PLA, to biodegrade within the timeframes specified by the standard.

The criteria for the industrial compostability of packaging are set out in the European Standard EN 13432 which requires compostable products to To comply with EN 13432, packaging must demonstrate that it:

Disintegrates during the composting process, with no more than 10% of the original material remaining after 12 weeks.
Biodegrades, with at least 90% of the organic carbon converted to carbon dioxide within six months.
Does not negatively affect compost quality, including passing ecotoxicity testing and meeting limits for heavy metals and other chemical characteristics.

Products that successfully meet these requirements may be independently certified and labelled as suitable for industrial composting.

Biodegradability is a prerequisite to compostability

All compostable materials are biodegradable, but biodegradability alone is not sufficient for a material to be considered compostable.

Compostability is defined through recognised standards that assess whether a material can biodegrade under specified composting conditions while also meeting additional requirements for physical disintegration, ecotoxicity and chemical characteristics.

Importantly, biodegradability is independent of the source of the raw material. Both fossil-based and bio-based materials can be biodegradable if they are designed to break down under the conditions specified by the relevant standard.

For packaging, EN 13432 assesses four key criteria:

Biodegradation – confirms microorganisms convert the material into carbon dioxide, water and biomass.
Disintegration – confirms the material physically breaks down during composting.
Ecotoxicity – confirms the resulting compost supports healthy plant growth.
Chemical characteristics – confirms heavy metals and other specified chemical parameters remain within acceptable limits.

Products that successfully meet these requirements may be independently certified by recognised certification bodies.

READ: Compostable materials in the real world: Scion x WasteMINZ

EN 13432 in practice

EN 13432 provides a consistent framework for assessing whether packaging is suitable for industrial composting. However, certification alone does not guarantee that compostable packaging will be successfully recovered at the end of its life.

The effectiveness of compostable packaging depends on the broader waste management system, including access to food organics collection, industrial composting infrastructure, clear packaging design and consumer understanding of how materials should be disposed of.

As more jurisdictions invest in organics recovery, recognised standards such as EN 13432 help provide confidence that certified packaging has been independently assessed for industrial composting. Equally important is ensuring that businesses and consumers understand the difference between commercially compostable and home compostable products and have access to appropriate collection systems.

Compostable packaging is only one part of the system

Certified compostable packaging can only deliver its intended environmental outcomes if there are systems in place to collect and process it. Certification demonstrates that a product is suitable for industrial composting under controlled conditions, but recovery depends on infrastructure, collection systems and consumer understanding.

A 2023 study, Unpacking Labelling and Design: U.S. Consumer Perception of Compostable Packaging, found that confusion around packaging terminology remains a significant barrier to recovery. Participants frequently struggled to distinguish between compostable and biodegradable packaging, with up to 49% of respondents confusing the two terms. Many were also uncertain about the correct disposal pathway, particularly when deciding between home composting, food organics collections and general waste.

The study highlighted the role of packaging design and consistent labelling in improving disposal decisions, reinforcing the importance of recognised certification marks and clear end-of-life instructions.

This study also points out that in the U.S., composting infrastructure is in the middle of transitioning from processing just yard waste to accepting more types of inputs, including post-consumer food waste and compostable packaging. So, while these challenges remain, composting infrastructure continues to expand.

Cities and states including San Francisco, California and New York City have progressively introduced food organics collection systems that accept food scraps and, where permitted by local composters, certified compostable food-service packaging. These examples demonstrate that compostable packaging is most effective when supported by coordinated collection systems, processing infrastructure and public education.

What would it take to see compostable packaging accepted at scale?

The successful recovery of compostable packaging depends on more than certified materials alone. It requires coordinated investment in food organics collection, industrial composting infrastructure, consistent packaging design, recognised certification and clear public education.

Internationally, jurisdictions including San Francisco, California and New York City have demonstrated that certified compostable packaging can be successfully recovered alongside food waste where collection systems, processing infrastructure and policy are aligned. As more regions expand food organics collections, opportunities to recover certified compostable packaging will continue to grow.

For countries such as New Zealand and Australia, scaling these systems will require continued investment in organics infrastructure, clear certification requirements and collaboration between policymakers, composters, packaging manufacturers and businesses. Together, these measures can help reduce contamination, improve recovery rates and support the transition towards a more circular food system.

Need help choosing certified compostable packaging?

At Ecoware, we help businesses navigate material selection, recognised compostability standards and certification requirements to ensure packaging is appropriate for its intended end-of-life pathway. Whether you're transitioning from conventional plastics or reviewing your current packaging, our team can help you select certified compostable solutions suited to your application.

Message us at hello@ecoware.co.nz to discuss your packaging requirements or explore our range of certified compostable food-service packaging.

By Tracey Creed

What's the difference between compostable and biodegradable packaging?

The terms biodegradable and compostable are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. Understanding the difference is important when selecting packaging and determining how it should be recovered at the end of its life.