Difference Between Compostable and Biodegradable Explained

You’ve seen the labels everywhere: 'compostable' and 'biodegradable'. They sound similar, even interchangeable, but in the world of foodservice packaging, the difference is huge. Getting it wrong can lead to costly mistakes and undermine your sustainability goals.

Here’s the single most important thing to remember: all compostable items are biodegradable, but not all biodegradable items are compostable.

One term represents a specific, certified process that creates something valuable from waste. The other is a much vaguer concept that, without proper context, can be pretty misleading. For any café, restaurant, or food business in the UK, knowing the real-world difference is the first step to making genuinely smart, sustainable choices.

What Does Biodegradable Actually Mean?

At its core, biodegradable simply means that something can be broken down by natural processes—think bacteria and fungi doing their work. On the surface, that sounds positive.

The problem is, the term comes with no strings attached. There are no official standards, no required certifications, and absolutely no guaranteed timeframe. A "biodegradable" plastic fork could sit in a landfill for hundreds of years, slowly fragmenting into microplastics. Because the term is so loose, it's a favourite for greenwashing, giving a false sense of environmental responsibility.

And What Makes Something Truly Compostable?

Compostable, on the other hand, is a much more precise and meaningful term. It means a material is designed not just to break down, but to turn into something beneficial: a nutrient-rich soil conditioner known as humus, or compost.

To carry this label in the UK and EU, a product must pass rigorous tests and meet strict standards, like the EN 13432 certification. This isn't just a vague promise; it's a guarantee. The certification confirms that the material will disintegrate by at least 90% within 12 weeks and fully biodegrade within six months in a controlled industrial composting facility, leaving behind no harmful residues. It's a closed-loop system by design.

Key Differences At a Glance

To cut through the noise, this table lays out the crucial distinctions. It's a quick reference for making sense of the labels you see on packaging every day.

Ultimately, choosing compostable packaging means you're opting for a product designed for a specific, beneficial end-of-life process. Choosing 'biodegradable' often means you're taking a gamble.

A Closer Look at How They Break Down

To really get to grips with the difference between ‘compostable’ and ‘biodegradable’, we need to move past the simple definitions and look at what happens to these materials after they've been used. Their decomposition processes are worlds apart, defined by the environment they need and what they leave behind. For any foodservice business, these practical details are what really count.

Compostable materials are designed for a very specific, controlled end-of-life journey. The whole point is for them to break down through a biological process that creates something valuable: nutrient-rich compost. This isn't just rotting away; it's a managed, active transformation.

In contrast, anything labelled ‘biodegradable’ is on a much less predictable path. Sure, it will eventually be broken down by microorganisms, but the conditions, timescale, and what it turns into are all completely undefined. This vagueness is the term’s biggest weakness and a major point of confusion.

The Right Environment for Decomposition

The conditions needed for breakdown really shine a light on the operational difference between these two types of packaging. Certified compostable packaging, like a PLA-lined coffee cup, is designed for the unique environment of an industrial composting facility. It needs this setting to fulfil its promise.

These facilities create the perfect storm for rapid decomposition by carefully managing:

• High Temperatures: They consistently reach 55-65°C, which is vital for killing off pathogens and getting heat-loving microbes to work at top speed.
• Controlled Moisture: The material is kept at the ideal moisture level, giving the microbes everything they need to break down the organic matter efficiently.
• Consistent Aeration: Oxygen is regularly introduced, often by turning the compost piles. This fuels the aerobic decomposition process and, crucially, stops methane from being released.

Biodegradable products, on the other hand, have no such specific requirements. They might break down a bit in soil, water, or even a landfill. The problem is, in a landfill starved of oxygen, this decomposition can be agonisingly slow and produce methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. This makes their environmental benefit unreliable at best.

What’s Left at the End?

Perhaps the most critical difference lies in what they leave behind. This outcome directly shapes your business’s true environmental footprint.

A certified compostable product, when sent to the right facility, completely transforms into humus. This is a stable, non-toxic, and nutrient-dense organic matter that improves soil health, helps it hold water, and supports plant growth. It’s a genuinely circular solution where waste becomes a valuable resource.

Biodegradable items offer no such guarantee. Their breakdown process is often just fragmentation. An item might vanish from sight, but it may have simply shattered into smaller and smaller pieces, creating harmful microplastics that can hang around in the environment for centuries and contaminate our ecosystems.

For a business, this is the most important distinction. Choosing certified compostable materials means you're part of a system that creates a beneficial end product. Relying on vague 'biodegradable' claims risks contributing to long-term pollution, which can do real damage to your brand's credibility.

A Stark Contrast in Breakdown Times

The timescale for decomposition is another area where the two categories couldn't be more different. We’re not talking about a few weeks or months; the difference can be centuries.

For an item to be certified compostable under the UK and EU EN 13432 standard, it has to meet strict deadlines. At least 90% of it must disintegrate within 12 weeks, and it has to fully biodegrade within a maximum of six months in an industrial composting facility. This is a specific, measurable, and legally defined timeframe.

By stark contrast, a product labelled only as "biodegradable" has no deadline at all. It could take two years, 20 years, or even 500 years to break down, depending on the material and where it ends up. A so-called "eco-friendly" plastic bag might stick around long enough to cause significant harm to wildlife before it finally disappears, leaving a legacy of microplastics. This lack of a defined timeframe makes the term almost meaningless from a practical waste management perspective.

Making Sense of UK and EU Eco-Labels and Certifications

Knowing the difference between "compostable" and "biodegradable" is a great start, but spotting genuinely sustainable packaging on a supplier’s website is a different skill altogether. The UK and EU markets are flooded with confusing terms and vague green claims. To make confident, responsible choices, you need to know which labels actually carry weight.

Official certifications are your only real guarantee that a product does what it says. These aren't just marketing fluff; they're backed by rigorous scientific testing that proves a material breaks down safely and fully within a set timeframe. Without a recognised logo, you’re just taking a supplier at their word—a risky move for your business's reputation.

Industrial Composting: The Gold Standard

For foodservice packaging here in the UK and across Europe, the certification that truly matters is EN 13432. It's the harmonised standard that sets the bar for industrially compostable packaging. If a product has this certification, you know it’s been proven to meet some very strict criteria.

To get the EN 13432 stamp of approval, a product must:

• Break down into pieces less than 2mm in size within 12 weeks in an industrial composter.
• Biodegrade by at least 90% into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass within six months.
• Have zero negative impact on the composting process itself.
• Contain very low levels of heavy metals and leave no toxic residues behind.

The most common symbol you’ll see for this is the 'Seedling' logo. When you spot this on a coffee cup or takeaway box, you can trust it’s certified for industrial composting. It’s a clear, reliable sign that the packaging is designed for a proper circular waste stream.

Understanding Home Composting Certifications

While most professional foodservice packaging is created for industrial facilities, you will find some products certified for home composting. These are made from materials that can break down in the lower temperatures and less controlled conditions of a garden compost heap.

The key certification to look for here is 'OK compost HOME' from TÜV AUSTRIA. This standard confirms a product will decompose in a home setting, though it will naturally take a lot longer than in an industrial plant. It's less common for bulk catering supplies but is a valuable label for items aimed at the consumer market. Learning more about the different types of compostable plates and cutlery can help you figure out which products are suited to different disposal methods.

Be cautious: A product certified for industrial composting will not break down properly in a home compost pile. Always check for the specific 'HOME' certification if this is the intended disposal route for your customers.

How to Spot and Avoid Greenwashing

Unfortunately, for every certified product out there, you'll find plenty more with vague and misleading claims. The word "biodegradable," in particular, is often used without any real proof, as there's no single legal standard it has to meet.

Keep an eye out for meaningless phrases and self-made logos, such as:

• "Eco-friendly" or "Earth-friendly"
• "100% natural"
• Green leaf or planet symbols with no official certification body named

These terms are designed to make you feel good about your purchase but give you no real guarantee of performance. Sticking to official, third-party certifications like EN 13432 is the only sure-fire way to protect your business from the reputational damage of greenwashing. In the same way you assess packaging labels, understanding eco-friendly cleaning alternatives can broaden your approach to sustainability. Choosing verified products, whether for packaging or cleaning, ensures your business genuinely upholds its environmental commitments.

What This Actually Means for Your Foodservice Business

It’s one thing to get your head around the technical definitions, but it’s another thing entirely to make them work in a busy UK café, catering business, or takeaway. The choice between compostable and biodegradable packaging isn't just about ticking an eco-friendly box; it directly impacts your waste management, how you talk to your customers, and ultimately, your brand's reputation.

The first big hurdle is getting it right on the ground. If you decide to go with certified compostable packaging, you're essentially creating a whole new waste stream. That means separate, clearly marked bins for your customers and proper training for your staff to stop normal rubbish from getting mixed in. One wrong move here can ruin the whole system, as a single contaminated batch might be rejected by your waste collector and end up in landfill anyway.

Local Infrastructure is Everything

Before you even think about buying compostable stock, your very first job is to check what your local council and waste partners can actually handle. The availability of industrial composting facilities is wildly inconsistent across the UK. Some areas are well-equipped to process food and packaging waste together, while others have patchy services or none at all.

There’s absolutely no point in providing compostable packaging if there's nowhere for it to go. It just creates a dead end for your customers who are trying to do the right thing, and your investment gets chucked into a landfill where it can release methane gas—completely defeating the purpose.

Your sustainable packaging plan lives or dies based on one simple fact: can a local industrial composting facility accept your waste? Always, always check with your local council and waste contractor before you buy anything.

Tapping into Customer Demand

The good news is that your customers are getting smarter about this, which gives you a solid business reason to get it right. People are looking much more closely at the green claims of the businesses they buy from, and showing a real commitment with certified compostable materials can give you a serious edge.

The numbers back this up. The UK's sustainable packaging market is booming, with the compostable foodservice segment alone expected to jump from USD 2.3 billion in 2026 to USD 3.7 billion by 2036. What’s more, a 2023 survey found that a huge 89% of UK adults think councils should be collecting all compostable packaging, which shows a massive public appetite for better systems.

This powerful customer sentiment is shaping where the industry is heading. Offering genuinely eco-friendly takeaway containers can build serious brand loyalty and pull in new customers who actively look for businesses that align with their values.

Talking to Your Customers Clearly

For any of this to work, you have to bring your customers along with you. If they don’t know how to dispose of your packaging, all your hard work is for nothing.

Here’s how to make it simple:

• Clear Bin Signage: Use simple pictures and short text to show people exactly what goes where. Think "Food & Compostable Packaging Here."
• On-Package Instructions: A straightforward message like "Compost Me with Food Waste" printed right on the container can make a world of difference.
• Empower Your Staff: Make sure your team can confidently explain your packaging and where it needs to go when customers ask.

When you guide your customers, you’re not just telling them what to do; you're making them part of the solution. This ensures the packaging ends up in the right place and shows everyone that your commitment to the environment is the real deal. Staying on top of wider food service industry trends helps you see how these operational choices fit into the bigger picture, turning your sustainable practices into a genuine marketing asset.

Choosing the Right Packaging for Your Menu

Picking the right packaging involves much more than just ticking an “eco-friendly” box. It’s a practical decision that needs to line up with your specific menu, your business model, and the real-world journey your packaging takes after it leaves your hands. The perfect container for a hot curry at a festival is completely different from the one you’d choose for a chilled salad in a city café.

Getting this context right is vital. A material that’s brilliant for one type of food might completely fail with another, leading to leaks, disappointed customers, and wasted money. Your choice has to strike a careful balance between sustainability claims, on-the-ground performance, cost, and the practicalities of your operation.

This decision-making flowchart can help you think through the key questions, putting local waste infrastructure and clear customer communication front and centre.

As the chart makes clear, the success of certified compostable packaging hinges entirely on whether there's a local facility that can actually process it.

Matching Materials to Your Menu Items

First things first: think about the food itself. Different materials are built for different jobs, and a mismatch can be a recipe for disaster.

For Hot and Greasy Foods (Curries, Noodles, Fish and Chips):
Your best friend here is bagasse, which is made from sugarcane pulp. It’s a fantastic material for handling heat and moisture without turning to mush. The natural fibres give it strength, it’s safe to microwave, and it offers decent insulation to keep food warm. This makes bagasse clamshells and bowls a go-to for street food traders and takeaways serving up hot meals.

For Cold and Wet Foods (Salads, Desserts, Fruit Pots):
This is where Polylactic Acid (PLA) comes in. PLA is a plant-based bioplastic that looks and feels just like conventional clear plastic, so it's perfect for showing off colourful salads or layered desserts. The catch? It has a very low melting point and will warp instantly with hot food, so it’s strictly a no-go for anything warm. PLA-lined paper cups are also the standard for cold drinks like iced coffees and smoothies. You might find our guide on choosing the right container with a lid helpful for these kinds of products.

For Drinks (Hot Coffees, Cold Juices):
Paper cups are the obvious choice, but it’s the lining that really counts. For hot drinks, you need a cup with a heat-resistant PLA lining. For cold drinks, a standard PLA lining does the job perfectly. It’s crucial to match the cup to the temperature to prevent leaks and keep customers safe.

Assessing Different Business Scenarios

How you operate will have a massive impact on which packaging makes the most sense. A closed-loop system at a festival is a world away from a high-street takeaway where you have zero control over disposal.

Scenario 1: The Mobile Street Food Vendor
A food truck or market stall has precious little space for different bins and even less control over where customers throw their packaging.

• Recommendation: Keep it simple. Prioritise materials that are widely recycled or, if you can confirm local industrial composting is available, opt for certified compostable materials like bagasse.
• Reasoning: Simplicity is your ally. One clear instruction (e.g., a bin for "All Food and Packaging") is far more likely to work than trying to manage several different waste streams. If industrial composting isn't a reliable option, high-quality, recyclable paper-based products are often the more practical choice.

Scenario 2: The Large-Scale Event Caterer
Catering within a defined space like a festival, conference, or stadium is a golden opportunity to create a controlled, closed-loop waste system.

• Recommendation: Commit fully to certified compostable packaging for every single food and drink item you serve.
• Reasoning: You control all the waste collection points. This means you can ensure that only compostable items go into the designated bins, which can then be sent in their entirety to an industrial composting facility via a specialist waste partner. This is how you turn a massive waste challenge into a genuine sustainability win.

This kind of controlled environment is where compostable packaging truly shines. When you can manage the entire collection process, you cut out the risk of contamination and ensure the materials actually fulfil their circular-economy promise.

Scenario 3: The High-Street Café or Takeaway
This is the most common situation, and also the trickiest. Your customers walk away with your packaging, and disposal happens out in the wild.

• Recommendation: A mixed approach might be needed. Use certified compostable packaging, but be prepared to invest heavily in clear, simple on-pack messaging and in-store signs.
• Reasoning: Customer education is your biggest hurdle. You need to make it incredibly easy for people to know what to do. Use obvious icons and short phrases like "Commercially Compostable" and, where relevant, instruct them to put it in their food waste bin. You have to accept that some items will end up in general waste, but your goal is to guide as many people as possible toward the right bin.

Answering Your Key Questions on Sustainable Packaging

As more UK businesses make the switch to greener packaging, a lot of practical questions pop up. Getting to grips with the details is the only way to make choices that are genuinely better for the planet and not just a box-ticking exercise. Here are some straight answers to the questions we hear most often, digging into the critical differences between compostable and biodegradable materials.

It's about moving past the labels and understanding what your choices mean in the real world. From how items are thrown away to the actual cost on your balance sheet, getting these final details right is what separates a genuine sustainability strategy from just wishful thinking.

Can I Put Compostable Packaging in My Home Compost Bin?

This is a huge point of confusion, and the answer is almost always no—unless the packaging is explicitly certified for home composting. You need to look for a specific mark, like the 'OK compost HOME' certification. If you don't see that, the packaging is meant for industrial composting facilities, full stop.

Industrial sites are a world away from your back-garden compost heap. They are carefully managed to hit temperatures of 55-65°C, which is far hotter than a domestic bin can ever get. That intense, controlled heat is absolutely essential for breaking down materials like PLA quickly and safely. Chuck an industrially compostable coffee cup into your garden bin, and you’ll likely just find it sitting there, fully intact, years later.

What Happens if Compostable Items End Up in Landfill?

When certified compostable packaging is sent to landfill, its environmental benefits are completely wiped out. In fact, it can cause the very problems it was designed to prevent.

Landfills are packed so tightly that there’s virtually no oxygen. When organic materials like compostable packaging get buried in these 'anaerobic' conditions, they decompose incredibly slowly. As they do, they release methane, a greenhouse gas that’s over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

The whole point of compostable packaging is to keep it out of landfill and turn it back into something useful. Its success hinges entirely on it being disposed of correctly through a dedicated food and organics waste stream. Without that, it can do more harm than good.

This is exactly why checking that your local council actually collects this type of waste is the single most important first step for any business.

Is Certified Compostable Packaging More Expensive?

At first glance, the unit price for certified compostable packaging can look a bit higher than for traditional, oil-based plastics. But that’s a very narrow way of looking at it, and it doesn't tell the full story for a UK business.

There are a couple of major factors that can easily level the playing field, or even tip it in favour of compostables:

• The UK Plastic Packaging Tax: This tax hits any plastic packaging made or imported into the UK that contains less than 30% recycled plastic. A huge amount of conventional packaging falls into this trap, adding a cost that isn't on the initial price tag. Certified compostable materials are exempt, which can create a significant saving.
• Customer Demand: More and more people are voting with their wallets. In fact, 86.5% of UK adults made eco-friendly lifestyle changes in 2023. Using packaging that aligns with those values can attract and keep loyal customers, turning a packaging cost into a real return on investment.

When you weigh up the tax implications against the commercial upside of building a genuinely green brand, the total cost of compostable packaging often looks far more competitive. It's as much a strategic investment in your business's future as it is a choice about containers.

At Monopack ltd, we know it’s not always easy to navigate the world of sustainable packaging. Our range of certified compostable and eco-friendly products is built for the real-world demands of UK foodservice, so you can make confident, responsible choices. Explore our collection and find the right fit for your menu.