Biodegradable vs. Compostable Packaging: What’s the Difference?

Terms such as biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, and recycled content are often used together when discussing sustainable packaging, but they do not mean the same thing.

Understanding the difference matters because each term describes a different material property or end-of-use pathway.

A package may be biodegradable without being compostable. A compostable package may require a commercial composting facility. And a recyclable package may not actually be recyclable through every local collection program.

What Does Biodegradable Mean?

Biodegradable means that microorganisms can break a material down under appropriate environmental conditions.

The word by itself does not tell you:

• How quickly the material will break down.
• What environmental conditions are required.
• Whether it will biodegrade in a landfill.
• Whether it belongs in a composting program.
• Whether the entire package is biodegradable.

That is why broad biodegradable claims can be misleading if they do not explain the conditions or time frame involved.

What Does Compostable Mean?

Compostable materials are designed to biodegrade under composting conditions and become part of usable compost without negatively affecting the finished compost.

That makes compostability a more specific claim than simply saying a material is biodegradable.

However, there is another important distinction:

• Commercially compostable materials are intended for industrial or commercial composting systems.
• Home compostable materials are designed for lower-temperature home composting conditions.

A material that is commercially compostable should not automatically be placed in a backyard compost pile unless it is also identified as suitable for home composting.

Biodegradable vs. Compostable Packaging

Compostable Does Not Automatically Mean Home Compostable

Many compostable packaging products require the higher temperatures, moisture levels, aeration, and controlled conditions available in commercial composting facilities.

If packaging is labeled compostable, check whether it specifies:

• Commercial or industrial composting.
• Home composting.
• A recognized compostability certification.
• Specific disposal instructions.

Commercial composting availability also varies by community, and not every composting facility accepts every certified compostable packaging product.

What Do Compostability Certifications Mean?

Third-party certifications can help buyers identify products that have been evaluated against recognized compostability standards.

For example, commercial compostability certification for plastic products may use standards such as ASTM D6400 or ASTM D6868, depending on the material and construction.

A certification does not mean the package can be composted everywhere. Local collection and composting facilities still determine whether the material is accepted.

What About Recyclable Packaging?

Recyclable describes a different recovery pathway.

A recyclable package is intended to be collected and processed into material that can be used again rather than biologically broken down.

Whether a package can actually be recycled depends on:

• Material type.
• Coatings and laminations.
• Labels and adhesives.
• Contamination.
• Local collection programs.
• Processing capabilities.
• Available end markets.

A recyclable claim should not be interpreted as meaning every curbside program accepts the package.

What Does Recycled Content Mean?

Recycled content describes what went into making the package rather than what happens to it after use.

For example, a plastic mailer might contain post-consumer recycled material but still require a specialty film-recycling program after use.

Likewise, a package made from virgin material may still be recyclable through an appropriate recovery stream.

These are separate attributes:

• Recycled content = material used to manufacture the package.
• Recyclable = potential recovery after use.
• Compostable = designed for biological treatment under composting conditions.
• Biodegradable = capable of biological breakdown under appropriate conditions.

Why “Eco-Friendly” Can Be Too Vague

Terms such as “green,” “earth-friendly,” and “eco-friendly” sound positive but do not explain what environmental attribute the package actually has.

More useful packaging descriptions identify the specific feature, such as:

• Contains a specified percentage of recycled content.
• Commercially compostable under specified conditions.
• Accepted in a particular recycling stream where facilities exist.
• Reusable for a specified application.
• Made with less material than a previous packaging design.

Specific claims are easier for buyers to evaluate and easier for recipients to act on correctly.

Which Packaging Option Is More Sustainable?

There is no universal winner.

A packaging choice should consider the complete application, including:

• Product protection.
• Amount of material used.
• Package weight and size.
• Recycled content.
• Reuse potential.
• Available recycling or composting infrastructure.
• Likelihood that the recipient will use the intended disposal pathway.
• Damage and replacement risk.

A compostable package provides little practical benefit if the recipient has no composting option and the package ultimately goes into ordinary trash. Likewise, a recyclable package depends on access to a collection and processing system that accepts it.

Do Not Sacrifice Product Protection

Environmental goals should be considered alongside packaging performance.

If reducing material or changing packaging construction causes more product damage, replacements, reshipping, or product waste, the overall result may be worse than expected.

The better approach is to find the packaging system that provides the required protection while meeting the organization's material and recovery goals as effectively as possible.

Questions to Ask Before Buying Sustainable Packaging

1. What environmental attribute am I actually trying to improve?
2. Is the package biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, reusable, or made with recycled content?
3. If it is compostable, is it commercial or home compostable?
4. Is there a recognized certification or standard supporting the claim?
5. Will customers have access to the required disposal system?
6. Does the package still provide the required product protection?
7. Are disposal instructions clear to the recipient?

The Bottom Line

Biodegradable and compostable are related terms, but they do not mean the same thing.

Biodegradable describes a material's ability to break down biologically under appropriate conditions. Compostable packaging is designed to break down within a composting system under specified conditions and may require a commercial facility.

Neither term automatically makes a package the best environmental choice.

Look at the specific claim, the available recovery system, the package's protective performance, and what your customer can realistically do with the material after use.

Need Help Comparing Packaging Materials?

Packaging HERO offers packaging materials with a range of constructions, recycled-content options, recovery pathways, and performance characteristics.

For a broader comparison of packaging material choices, visit our Packaging Materials Guide.

Contact Packaging HERO if you need help comparing packaging options for a specific application.

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