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Shop NowReduce business waste: What’s the difference between recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable?
Dear Wheelie Bins, I own a medium-sized company and I want to reduce business waste. A big part of this is making better choices when it comes to the things we buy in, such as packaging for our goods. The thing is, I am confused at times about the terminology that is used. What is meant by recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable packaging? If you’re a business with sustainable aspirations, cutting down on plastic use should be top of the list of your priorities. Not only is plastic horrendous for the environment, consumers get the ick about it too. A YouGov poll found that 46% of consumers feel guilty about the amount of plastic they use. 8 in 10 said they would happily pay higher prices for goods in eco-friendly packaging. That means considering a switch from plastic packaging could make good business sense too. So what are your options and what should you be looking out for in your packaging?
Making sense of the terminology
Recyclable packaging
If you want to reduce business waste, buying recyclable packaging is a good option. When a material is recyclable, it can be used again and often transformed into another item after processing. For example, plastic bottles can be used to make bin liners or fleece jackets. Easily recyclable materials include cardboard, paper, metals like aluminium and steel, and glass. Glass can be recycled endlessly with no reduction in material quality. Remember, however, that just because a material is recyclable, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can recycle it in your area. That’s why it pays to check with your waste contractor so you know you’re making the best choice. If you’re keen to buy packaging that contains recycled materials, look for the Mobius Loop on the label. That’s the triangle made up of three arrows, pointing in a clockwise direction. What you’re looking for is a number in the middle of the triangle. This tells you what percentage of the packaging is made from recycled materials. Recycle More. co.uk has a great guide to understanding recycling symbols if you’re completely bewildered.
Biodegradable - What does it actually mean?
Biodegradable means that an item can be broken down and reabsorbed by the environment, without causing harm. Think of something like an apple core thrown on the ground or a plant. When they degrade, they break down quickly and become food for worms and microorganisms. Other items like plastics do break down, but this can take hundreds of years in some cases. As plastics decompose, they break down into microplastics, harming wildlife and causing pollution by leaching toxins into environment. A word of warning if you want to reduce business waste; you can’t always take a ‘biodegradable’ label at face value. Some things labelled biodegradable may not be. For example, researchers in Cardiff found that most wet wipes marketed as biodegradable shed synthetic microfibres which do not degrade.What does compostable mean?
If you see ‘compostable’ on the packaging, this means it has been certified to degrade in certain conditions, within a certain timeframe, and at a particular temperature. When the material breaks down, it provides nutrient-rich compost for parks and gardens. It can also be used as a source of biofuel. Again, with plastics, there’s a caveat. You can’t throw compostable plastic in with your mixed recycling, food waste, or biodegradable waste. It needs specialist recycling, so before you opt for compostable plastics, ask your waste company if they provide this service.
What are the alternatives to standard plastic packaging?
So if you’re looking to reduce business waste by curbing plastic use, what are the real alternatives to fossil fuel-based plastic?
Bioplastics
These are plant-based plastics which are often seen as being the solution to the plastic problem. However, what you have to consider with plant-based plastics is they still have an impact on the environment. You need to grow crops to produce bioplastics which requires water use and the use of fertilisers.
Biodegradable plastics
As we have seen, biodegradable plastics do break down, but it can take a long time. All the while, toxins can seep into the environment and plastic particles end up in our food chain.
Compostable plastics
You must send compostable plastics to an industrial anaerobic composting facility to dispose of them. Compostable items can be a good alternative to standard plastic only if you collect and dispose of them properly. Our advice is before you switch to another packaging material, do your due diligence. Ask your packaging supplier for evidence and stats on exactly how sustainable the different options are. Another consideration is whether the sums add up financially. Any change needs to be viable and it needs to work for your business. For more tips and advice to help you reduce business waste, check out the rest of our blog.
Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/19/half-of-uk-consumers-willing-to-pay-more-to-avoid-plastic-packaging-survey-shows https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969723035350 (wet wipes labelled biodegradable mostly aren’t)