Glossary
Compostable packaging
Definition
Packaging certified to break down into compost under defined conditions. Standards such as EN 13432 cover industrial composting; home-compostable items are certified separately.
Also known as: Compostable packaging materials, Certified compostable
Compostable packaging is designed to be biologically broken down into water, carbon dioxide and compost, leaving no harmful residue, provided it reaches the right conditions. The key European standard is EN 13432, which sets requirements for disintegration, biodegradation and ecotoxicity for industrial composting.
There is an important distinction between industrial and home composting. EN 13432 certification refers to industrial composting facilities, which reach higher, sustained temperatures than a garden heap. Items suitable for home composting are certified against separate schemes and marks, and not everything that is industrially compostable will break down in a home bin.
Compostable is not the same as recyclable, and the two should not be mixed: putting compostable plastics into recycling streams can contaminate them, and vice versa. In the UK, access to industrial composting and food-waste collections varies by council, so it is worth being clear with customers about how to dispose of the material and looking for genuine certification rather than vague claims.
What to check
- Look for genuine certification such as EN 13432 for industrial composting.
- Distinguish home-compostable (separately certified) from industrial.
- Do not mix compostable items into recycling streams.
- Check whether local councils actually accept the material for composting.
- Tell customers clearly how and where to dispose of it.
Need help choosing the right spec?
Tell us what you're packing and your quantities — we'll recommend the right size, grade or material and price it for your order.
Compostable packaging — FAQs
Does EN 13432 mean I can put it in my home compost?
Related pages
Buying in volume? Get trade pricing.
Tell us what you need — sizes, quantities and how often. We'll send pricing and lead time, and source anything we don't stock through our supplier network.
