Frequently Asked Questions

At BioPak, it is our mission to produce the most sustainable, environmentally friendly packaging in the market. We champion compostable packaging. We are also a certified B Corporation and believe we have an obligation to preserve and protect the environment and to give back and support the communities in which we operate. So, when you purchase your packaging from BioPak, you can trust that we’re giving back 5 per cent of our profits, as well as contributing our time and energy to make a positive difference and accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

Additionally, we've launched Australia’s first national composting network. Compost Connect connects our customers to commercial composting facilities to divert our customers' compostable packaging and food scraps from landfills and instead have the organic waste turned into compost. We are the first manufacturer and distributor in the area to provide this closed-loop solution to support the circular economy.

More information:

• Why choose BioPak?
• Watch "BioPak Benefits and Certifications" video
• Innovation and the BioPak legacy

BioPak was launched in 2006 by Richard Fine, joined shortly after by Gary Smith. The goal was to bring more sustainable single-use packaging alternatives to the market. In the span of a decade, BioPak has disrupted the industry and continues to lead by developing innovative packaging solutions based on the principles of a circular economy.

All our products are manufactured overseas.

We have an exclusive partnership with five production facilities located in China and Taiwan. All suppliers are thoroughly audited to ensure they meet our stringent quality and environmental standards. Our production facilities are best of breed and we have processes in place to ensure consistent quality and adherence to environmental practices, including certifications – ISO14001, ISO9001, ISO22000 and many more. We audit them every year to conduct reviews on their processes and business practices and together we work on an advanced program of continual improvement.

Thanks for your interest in becoming a BioPak distributor. In order for us to understand your needs and provide you with the best pricing, please provide the following information in an email to our sales team at sales@biopak.com.

• Business name
• Full name
• Contact phone number
• Email address
• Items you intend to purchase and monthly usage

To apply for an account with us, please complete the online credit application and request a credit balance and payment terms that suit your business. Our approval process takes a few hours. If you need your order urgently, please proceed with credit card payments while your application is processed.

Please request the payment terms that suit your business when you apply for an account with us. If you need your order urgently, please proceed with credit card payments while your application is processed. We accept Visa and MasterCard payments. Our approval process can take a few hours.

Yes, you need to have an account to purchase from BioPak. You can easily set up an account online and make your purchase using a credit card. We accept Visa and MasterCard payments.

Yes, our sales team can provide you with a sales invoice for approval prior to processing the order. Please send an email to sales@biopak.com to request a sales invoice.

No, you don't need to be a business to purchase from us. However, the minimum order is one full carton of product.

Yes, you are welcome to use your existing credit. Currently, we do not have the ability for you to apply for credit if ordering via our e-shop. Please either email us at sales@biopak.com or call us and advise that you would like to use an existing credit when placing your order.

Yes, we do offer wholesale prices for orders of large volumes. Please send an email to sales@biopak.com and one of our sales staff will call to discuss the products and volumes you need.

We offer free shipping to most metro areas for an order of four cartons or more (napkins and wooden cutlery only count as half a carton). We offer subsidised freight rates to out of metro areas for an order of four cartons or more. Orders of less than 4 cartons are charged shipping at $16.50.

We offer free freight to most metro areas (for orders of 4+ cartons) and subsidised freight to remote locations (may exclude hand unload and tailgate deliveries). Please refer to our Delivery & Returns for more information. 

Unfortunately, we cannot waive freight charges.

We know how important it is to maintain sufficient inventory and we always ensure you get your orders without delay. Orders to most metro locations will be delivered next day if placed before 1:30pm local time. Please refer to our Delivery & Returns table for more information.

Please email care@biopak.com to find out where your nearest warehouse is located.

Yes, you can arrange for your order to be picked up at the nearest warehouse near you. Please email sales@biopak.com for more details.

We only ship our items within Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom at this time. We can happily deliver to a local freight forwarder of your choice, but you would be responsible for organising the second leg of the journey.

Yes. If your order has not been confirmed by our warehouse you can still add to your order. To get the status of the order that you have placed, please email sales@biopak.com

If your order is short shipped please send an email to care@biopak.com. Make sure to quote the SAO#, FFL#, INV# or CAS# in your email. If you provided a PO# when you ordered it will also help the sales team locate your order. As soon as the Care team receive your email they will let you know what caused the short shipment and immediately come up with a resolution in order to fix the issue.

Our sales team do their best to be accurate when taking and placing the orders on our system however there will be some glitches in the process and in these cases, we will definitely take full responsibility. Just send an email to care@biopak.com and our Care team will do their best to help you with your concern and provide the necessary steps to sort things out immediately.

To see the full information of our delivery schedule, please check this page: Delivery & Returns

BioPak is very keen to deliver your orders at the exact time frame that we promised. However, if you find that your orders did not arrive at the expected time, email care@biopak.com and they will trace the deliveries for you.

Please see our returns page to see how we process a return.

One of the biggest challenges in compostable packaging over the past few decades has been creating a lining free from fossil-based plastic.

Short for polyhydroxyalkanoate, PHA is a game-changing bioplastic that’s soon to be certified home compostable (AS5810 and NF T51-800) and contains no fossil-based plastic. BioPak is one of the first adopters of this new and innovative material around the globe – and the first company to bring it to the Australian market. 

PHA is made through an industrial microbial fermentation process, which is a fancy way of describing a process that’s similar to brewing beer (or at least, more similar to brewing beer than the chemical process used to produce other bioplastics). We're brewing a plastic alternative!

The fermentation process starts with renewable resources, like plant sugars and vegetable oils. Then it uses bacterial fermentation (through bacteria and archaea cells) to create ‘polyester granules’. These granules are used to create the PHA lining – a cup lining made entirely from renewable resources. The paper cup we apply the PHA lining to is sourced from FSCTM certified forests.

This aligns with the principles of a circular economy. 

On top of finally having a solution that doesn’t contain any fossil-based materials, there are so many benefits of a PHA cup lining. 

• PHA is pending home compostable certification (AS5810 and NFT51-800) due June 2024. That means consumers can dispose of it in their backyard compost bin. 
• PHA resin is certified marine biodegradable. While we would never condone littering into the sea, if it does go into the sea (worst case scenario) it will break down significantly faster than conventional plastic.
• PHA is made entirely from renewable resources, like plant sugars, vegetable oils and bacteria and archaea cells. 
• The paper used in each PHA cup is sourced from FSCTM-certified forests. The Forest Stewardship Council™ (licence code FSC™: C110879) is a non-profit organisation that acts to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. 
• PHA is food safety certified.

Yes. PHA is pending the Home Compostable Certification to Australian and European Standards (AS5810 and NFT51-800). This is due June 2024. PHA will be able to be disposed of right in your home compost bin!

No, There are no coffee cups that are recyclable in Australia and New Zealand via kerbside collections. Check for the logo above in your packaging and verify its recyclability at  Australasian Recycling Label (ARL). PHA cups may be accepted in some private recycling collections, like Simply Cups. Get in touch with the collection service you’re interested in to find out more. 

The other coffee cups in the BioPak range either use a PLA bioplastic lining or an Aqueous lining. While these innovative solutions are considered better than traditional plastic, there was still room for improvement. 

• PLA bioplastic is certified industrially compostable (AS4736), meaning it will break down in an industrial facility. 
  • The problem: due to a lack of infrastructure and legislation in some countries, not everyone has easy access to these facilities, making disposal challenging.
• Aqueous was our first home compostable solution, meeting Australian and European standards (AS5810 and NFT51-800). This innovative water-based dispersion coating gets absorbed into the paper cup. 
  • The problem: it still contains a small amount of fossil-based synthetic polymers (though it’s still certified home compostable AS5810 NF T51-800).

Through constant research and innovation, BIoPak found PHA, a game-changing solution. PHA contains no fossil fuel-based plastic in the final cup and is certified home compostable to Australian and European standards (AS5810 and NFT51-800). 

Yes! The leakproof seal in PHA lining is suitable for both hot and cold beverages. 

We source FSC™ certified paper to create our coffee cups, before applying the PHA lining. The Forest Stewardship Council™ (licence code FSC™: C110879) is a non-profit organisation that acts to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. 

Fossil-based plastic is the traditional single-use plastic we see on the market – it’s made from petrochemicals that persist in the environment for hundreds of years. In fact, products like the common plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to decompose (source). 

Bioplastic is made from renewable resources (partly or entirely). PHA is a bioplastic made entirely from renewable resources, like plant sugars and vegetable oils. 

We’re set to launch our PHA lined BioCups in June 2024. Products will be available in white 8oz, 12oz and 16oz single and double wall cups. 

Upon the initial launch, PHA lined cups will come at a premium price (around 15% more than Aqueous) as it’s a new and innovative material. 

However, we plan for this price to level out within 12 months, eventually serving as a direct swap for Aqueous lining with no price difference. The goal is to transition all our coffee cup products across to PHA – the future of cups. 

PHA can be used far beyond coffee cup linings. It can be used in other foodservice packaging, medical applications, cosmetics packaging, and in the fishing and farming sector. It acts as a substitute for conventional fossil-based plastic linings. 

TBC

It’s a new material. BIoPak is one of the earliest adopters and the first company to bring it to the Australian market. We expect to see PHA become commonplace in the future. 

Our minimum order quantity is one carton.

The Forest Stewardship Council™️ (License code FSC™️ C110879) is an international non-profit that acts to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.

FSC™️ forest management certification confirms that the forest is being managed in a way that preserves the natural ecosystem and benefits the lives of local people and workers, all while ensuring it remains economically viable. BioPak's paper straws, BioBoard range, napkins and wooden cutlery are made from FSC™️ paper, pulp or wood.

More information:

• FSC: Promoting responsible management of the world's forests
• The Forest Stewardship Council™️ (FSC™️) website

BioCutlery benefits include:

• Made from FSC™ certified Birchwood. FSC™ certification confirms responsible forest management that preserves the ecosystem and benefits the lives of locals.
• Home compostable
• Sturdy and versatile making them perfect for everything from ice cream to steak.

Did you know?

If a large music festival converted 100,000 plastic knives, fork and spoon packs to wooden BioCutlery, it would save 1.2 tonnes of plastic and reduce carbon emissions by 3.7 tonnes. That’s equivalent to the emissions produced by driving a new car halfway around the world!

Some of the corn used to produce PLA bioplastic from Ingeo is made from GM crops. After converting the corn to PLA bioplastic there is no trace of any GM content and supporting evidence is available from Genescan if required.

For more information, visit the "Where does INGEO come from" website.

 Unfortunately, we only sell full cartons. Some of our distributors sell some BioPak items by the sleeve. Please get in touch with our team at sales@biopak.com with your location and we can send you more information.

No, wooden cutlery is not recyclable.

Our bioplastic-lined paper cups, bowls, noodle boxes, lunch boxes and sandwich wedges have a 12-month shelf-life from the production date. Our paper straws, napkins and cardboard (BioBoard boxes and trays) products have an indefinite shelf-life if kept cool and dry.

Benefits of our clear BioCup include:

• They are made from plant-based bioplastic, not fossil fuels
• Compared to regular plastic, bioplastic emits up to 80% less carbon and uses 52% less non-renewable energy in the production process
• They are transparent and suitable for serving cold food and drinks
• They are certified industrially compostable to the Australian AS4736 compost standard
• They can be processed into compost in a commercial compost facility within 12 weeks

Did you know?

If a large sports stadium converted 500,000 plastic cups used at one event to BioCups, it would reduce carbon emissions by 15 tonnes and would save 5.5 tonnes of plastic. That’s equivalent to reducing the emissions produced by driving a new car around the world two and a half times and saving the weight of two elephants in plastic!

More information:

• Bioplastic myths busted!
• Ingeo PLA: Why it matters?

Product dimensions are the actual measurements of the product itself. The carton dimensions are the packaging dimensions of the box the product comes in. This measurement is used for shipping computations. Both product and carton dimensions are listed in the Product Specifications on all product pages on the website. Contact us for more details on marketing@biopak.com

Our plant fibre products can be recycled in the paper recycling stream if not too soiled, like a pizza box.

The paper is made from virgin tree pulp from trees in sustainably managed plantations.

The coating is PLA (Polylactic Acid) derived from corn and beet starch. PLA emits up to 80% less carbon and uses 52% less non-renewable energy than conventional plastic.

Our BioCups are certified industrially compostable to Australian AS4736 compost standards.

More information:

• Watch the video: "Benefits of BioCups"
• Watch the video: "Closing the Loop for Paper Cups"

Yes, BioPak wooden cutlery is made from 100% FSC™️ (License code FSC™️ C110879) certified Birchwood and would take the same amount of time to compost as any other woody garden waste.

Yes, our clear BioCups are certified commercially compostable to the Australian AS4736 compost standard. This means they will be processed into compost in 12 weeks in industrial compost conditions.

Both product and carton dimensions are listed in the Product Specfications on all product pages on the website. Contact us for more details marketing@biopak.com

Our coated wooden cutlery range has been coated with a food-safe, non-toxic, compostable plant-based carnauba wax.

While our BioCups are technically recyclable, large scale infrastructure to process PLA (material category 7) is not well established. Therefore, BioCups are generally not accepted in kerbside recycling. BioCups are certified commercially compostable to the Australian AS4736 compost standards and are designed for a circular economy. The BioPak Compost Service helps BioPak customers get their compostable packaging to the facilities that can process them to ensure that the environmental benefit of compostable, single-use disposable packaging can be maximised.

No, unfortunately not. Our items are sold by carton and we only sell one cup size per carton.

Our BioCane range has an indefinite shelf life if kept in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight.

Degradable cups use additives to promote the degradation of plastics. The use of additives to promote the degradation of plastics does not provide any environmental benefits and is not a solution to plastic pollution. Over 150 organisations worldwide have backed a call to ban this type of packaging.

Claims that degradable cups will completely biodegrade in landfills after 2 years are not certified by third-party regulators. Degradable cups are tested using the ASTM D5511 protocol. ASTM D5511 is not a certification and does not guarantee that the product will decompose.

At BioPak, we only make real-world environmental and sustainability claims that can be independently verified through a robust and rigorous scientific process. We go to great lengths to ensure our packaging products align with the principles of a circular economy, and our BioCups are commercially compostable to the AS4736 Australian standard.

More information:

• Read flyer about "BioCups vs Castaway Cups"
• Check our BioPak Product Certifications

Our bioplastic cups and lids have a 12-month shelf life from the date of purchase. Bioplastics must be stored out of the direct sun and below 35°C.

Yes, our plant fibre can be heat-sealed.

We do not sell heat sealing products. Our customers have recommended the below:

1. Mylar film is a special heat seal lidding film with an adhesive layer incorporated into the film – it is not a separate adhesive that is required.

2. The grade is Mylar OL3

3. Compostable film Natureflex

While our paper cups are technically recyclable, when packaging is contaminated with beverage residue, it is generally classed as contamination and will end up in a landfill. Moreover, recent bans on plastic exports and a lack of local recycling infrastructure have raised uncertainty about the future of recycling on a global scale. To get the most up-to-date answer, it is best to ask your local council whether they can accept PLA-lined paper cups in their recycling bin.

Our products are designed for a circular economy, using rapidly renewable materials that return nutrients back into the soil at the end of their life. Compost Connect empowers businesses to tackle waste responsibly and turn compostable packaging and organic waste into nutrient-rich compost.

Bioplastics must be stored out of direct sun and below 35°C.

BioPak's BioCane range is freezer friendly but the packaging has minimal gas and moisture barrier properties. We recommend customers test the suitability of the packaging for their freezing requirements.

Industrially compostable PLA lids:

• BioPak's black and white PLA lids are certified commercially compostable to the Australian AS4736 compost standard.
• PLA lids are technically recyclable, however, Australia does not currently have the recycling infrastructure to process PLA.

Recyclable white PS lids:

• White PS plastic (code 6) is widely accepted in curbside recycling.
• We supply PS lids as some cafes are not willing to pay the premium cost for a compostable plant-based bioplastic lid.

Non-recyclable black PS lids:

• Black PS lids are not recyclable in Australia and New Zealand.
• Material sorting facilities are unable to detect and separate black plastic from the mixed waste stream.

Our 280, 360 and 420ml clear BioCups are weights and measures approved. This means they have been approved for the service of alcohol.

For more information, visit about "Weights and measures of alcohol" website.

Yes, BioCane can withstand temperatures of up to 220 degrees Celcius for 20 minutes. However, BioCane is not suitable for reheating food from frozen.

Yes, some of our lids are commercially compostable. We have two different lid materials: regular PS plastic and plant-based bioplastic.

Compostable PLA Lids
We offer certified commercially compostable PLA lids – a bioplastic made from plants, not oil. These bioplastic lids are certified industrially compostable to Australian AS4736 standards.

Recyclable White PS Lids
White PS plastic (code 6) is widely accepted in kerbside recycling. We supply PS lids as some cafes are not willing to pay the premium cost for a compostable plant-based bioplastic lid.

Non-Recyclable Black PS Lids
Our black PS lids are not recyclable in Australia and New Zealand (in fact, no black plastic lids are). Material sorting facilities are unable to detect and separate black plastic from the mixed waste stream. We are working with raw material suppliers and improving our manufacturing efficiencies to improve the pricing of compostable lids, phasing out plastic lids by 2025.

Yes, our clear BioCups and BioBowls can be heat-sealed. The lids clip onto the outside of the cups and bowls and can clip over a heat-sealed cup or bowl.

Yes, the BioCane range can be heated in a microwave.

Yes. BioPak's BioCups are certified industrially compostable to the Australian AS4736 compost standard. This means that they will be broken down into organic matter by microorganisms within 12 weeks in industrial compost.

Our bioplastic cups and bowls do not have the appropriate barrier properties to be completely airtight and we do not recommend them in a retail setting.

Our products are designed for serving takeaway food. They have minimal gas and moisture barrier properties, and while the materials can be frozen, they may not be suitable for storing foods. We always recommend customers test the suitability of the product for any retail application.

BioCups are not suitable for home composts. Home composts may not maintain the conditions required to process bioplastic. Commercial facilities maintain sustained temperatures above 55 degrees Celsius and humidity levels above 70 per cent for the first 10 days in order to process compostable packaging.

NatureWorks, our PLA supplier, uses only the starch from corn for Ingeo PLA while the plant-based proteins are directed to the animal feed industry, maximizing the crop's total value.

Yes, you can put cold drinks in our hot wallpaper cups, however, there is no external moisture barrier to ensure the paper doesn’t absorb any condensation and softens. Hot wallpaper cups don't have an external protection layer for the external condensation that occurs. We recommend you order samples to test if your beverages can be served in our hot wallpaper cups without any quality issues. Another alternative is trying our Cold Paper BioCups, or our clear bioplastic BioCups.

The PSM (70%) bioplastic cutlery is a a lower cost alternative to the 100% PLA cutlery. It's made from 70% plant-based bioplastic and 30% conventional plastic.

No, BioPak's BioCane range is produced from GMO-free feedstock.

We print with soy or water-based inks.

Benefits of these inks:

• Soy-Based inks: It has a number of environmental benefits. Much of the soybean crop requires no irrigation, limited fixed nutrients, and leaves fewer agricultural residues than other crops. Soy ink also has low levels of VOCs, (volatile organic compounds) which helps to reduce air pollution by minimizing toxic emissions. Since naturally clearer soybean oil is available, it is possible to obtain as brightly coloured ink as by using clear petroleum distillates. By using clearer soybean oil grades, less pigment is necessary to produce the same optical effect, which reduces the overall cost of the ink. Soy ink has been found to spread approximately 15% further, reducing ink use and printer cleanup costs.
• Water-Based inks: Oil-based inks contain PVC and phthalates that are harmful to the environment and have been linked to numerous medical disorders. They also require the use of harmful solvents in the cleaning process. Water-based inks do not contain PVC or phthalates and you don’t need solvents to clean up after they’ve been used - you can clean them with water.

BioCutlery benefits include:

• Made from plant-based bioplastic, not fossil fuels like conventional plastic cutlery
• Made from Corbion CPLA (Crystalized Polylactic Acid), produced from a rapidly renewable starch sourced from non-GMO crops
• Compared to regular plastics, PLA emits up to 80% fewer carbon emissions
• Our 100% bioplastic BioCutlery is certified industrially compostable to the Australian AS4736 compost standard
• Sturdy and versatile, making them perfect for everything from ice cream to steak

Did you know?

If a large music festival converted 100,000 plastic knives, forks and spoon packs to bioplastic cutlery, it would save 1.3 tonnes of plastic and reduce carbon emissions by 4.5 tonnes. That’s equivalent to the emissions produced by driving a new car halfway around the world!

White plant fibre

White bagasse is bleached but with a chlorine-free process. Oxygen and hydrogen peroxide are the main bleaching agents.

Brown plant fibre

The brown plant fibre is unbleached.

90% of our products are made from compostable, rapidly renewable plant-based materials. Unfortunately for some applications/products, there is not a suitable bio-based option – in these cases, we select materials such as PET that are widely accepted for recycling.

We take care to not intentionally mislead consumers or misrepresent our products. All non-bio-based plastic items are clearly marked with the relevant plastic recycling codes on the product and marketing collateral. Bioplastics are relatively new to the market, and there is significant innovation in this space. We are always seeking out and testing new, more sustainable, functional, and cost-effective materials, and as soon as a suitable replacement is found for any of our non-bio-based materials, we will not hesitate to make the change.

Our philosophy is to not let the perfect be the enemy of good. Through ongoing incremental changes and constant improvement, we remain committed to transitioning an industry away from the current linear model towards a circular economy.

We are working on a heat-safe PLA bioplastic alternative to replace all clear plastic PET lids.

The printed Kraft pattern applies to the 4oz & 6oz Kraft Green Stripe Cups as well as the entire range of 80mm Green Line cups. The reason we sometimes print a kraft-look pattern onto bleached white paper is either due to the fact that unbleached kraft paper is stiffer than bleached kraft paper and it doesn't form as well on the smaller cup diameters, or as in the case of the following BioBoard range, we are unable to source FSC certified unbleached kraft board and we believe the paper source is more important than the paper colour.

For more information, visit the "Kraft vs. Printed Kraft-Look Paper Products" blog.

Yes, our PLA 100% bioplastic cutlery is certified industrially compostable to the Australian AS4736 standard, which means it will be processed into compost in commercial compost conditions within 12 weeks.

Choose from a wide range of cup sizes to suit all your coffee needs. We also have smaller 12oz 80mm diameter cups for when a standard 12oz is too large. They neatly match our 6 and 8oz cups, and as a series, they all fit our small lids. We also offer a wider rimmed 8oz 90mm diameter cup that fits our large lids, alongside our standard 12, 16 and 20oz cups.

You can pick the sizes that best suit your customers and reduce inventory with a universal lid for all size options.

For more information, read the "Universal lid solutions" flyer.

While BioCutlery is technically recyclable, the Australian recycling infrastructure does not currently accomodate bioplastic. Our PLA 100% bioplastic cutlery is certified industrially compostable to the Australian AS4736 compost standard, which means it can be processed into compost in commercial compost conditions within 12 weeks.

In the paper cup industry, cup sizes are referred to in ounces (oz) as a standard and are used as a reference only. Depending on the manufacturer, the actual brimful capacity may vary – this is the exact measurement of liquid that fits in the cup/container when it is filled to maximum capacity or right to the brim. It is also called overflow capacity.

A study conducted by Food Standards Australia New Zealand in 2011 to estimate the average volumes for a range of takeaway coffee cup sizes demonstrated that medium or 12oz cup brim-full capacities varied from 367ml up to 425ml. Direct conversion of oz to ml for 12oz is 355ml.

We disclose the brim full capacity of our cups on our website in the product specifications. Our 12oz (80mm) brim full capacity is 355ml and our 12oz (90mm) is 405ml.

Our PLA (100%) and PSM (70% and 30% regular plastic) BioCutlery have a 6-month shelf life from date of purchase.

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee a certain design. We cannot sell individual art cups and cannot guarantee which prints, or which series of prints will be in each carton.

For more information, visit "BioCup Art Series" website.

PSM cutlery (70% PLA, 30% PSM) is a lower-cost alternative to 100% PLA cutlery.

BioPak is proud to support and promote the arts community with the BioCup Art Series. Every eight weeks we change the series, printing artwork from artists who deal with an environmental theme in their practice.

Our curator, Kate Armstrong, seeks out artists who explore environmental themes at the core of their practice. If you would like to send your artwork for consideration, please visit our website for more information.

No, our PSM cutlery is not compostable. It is made from 70% plant starch and 30% polypropylene. This cutlery offers a cost-effective alternative to our 100% plant-based bioplastic and contains a high content of rapidly renewable plant material but is not compostable and should go to general waste. Our 100% PLA cutlery is certified industrially compostable to the Australian AS4736 compost standard.

We offer the artists promotional support – promoting their artwork and name on our cups and online.

No, our PSM cutlery is not recyclable. It is made from 70% plant starch and 30% polypropylene. This cutlery offers a cost-effective alternative to our 100% plant-based bioplastic and contains a high content of rapidly renewable plant material but is not recyclable and should go to general waste.

BioBoard benefits include:

• Made from FSC™ (License code FSC™️ C110879) certified paper. FSC™ certification confirms responsible forest management that preserves the ecosystem and benefits the lives of locals
• Waterproof lining and clear bioplastic windows which are made from plants, not oil
• Compared to regular plastics, bioplastic emits up to 80% less carbon and uses 52% less non-renewable energy
• Recyclable in most kerbside recycling (only products without bioplastic window or lining)

Our BioPlastic Bags are made from EcoPond, a synthetic biodegradable bioplastic combined with plant-starch. The bags contain up to 25% starch and 75% of biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic copolyester.

Our BioPlastic Bags are certified home compostable to the Australian AS5810 compost standard and will break down into compost within 180 days in standard home compost bin conditions, leaving no toxic residues behind.

Our BioBoard boxes and trays are recyclable in the paper waste recycling if not too soiled. Like with recycling pizza boxes, if they are too dirty (grease, cheese, etc.), you need to put them in your general bin. This applies to products without bioplastic lining or windows only.

Benefits of our bioplastic bags include:

• They are made from Ecopond – a synthetic, biodegradable bioplastic combined with plant-starch – not fossil fuels
• They are certified home and commercially compostable

Did you know?

Australians use an estimated five billion plastic bags a year, that's just over 13 million new bags being used every day. While it’s always better to bring your own reusable bag if the 13 million plastic bags used daily were replaced with BioPlastic Bags it would save 27,000 tonnes of plastic used every day. That's equivalent to the weight of 10,000 elephants.

Our BioBoard noodle and lunch boxes are certified industrially compostable to Australian and European compost standards, making them a more sustainable replacement for conventional plastic-lined takeaway containers. Our BioBoard boxes and trays without bioplastic lining are home compostable and recyclable in the paper waste when not too soiled. Like with recycling pizza boxes, if they are too dirty (grease, cheese, etc.), you need to put them in your general bin or compost them at home.

The lightweight single-use plastic shopping bag, supplied free-of-charge by a retailer, has been banned in a number of jurisdictions in Australia. The common aim is to reduce plastic litter. Unfortunately, to date, there has been little distinction between a polyethylene bag and an organically recyclable compostable bag.

There is a lack of understanding of the distinction between so-called 'degradable plastic bags', which disintegrate under some conditions to many thousands of small fragments (microplastics) that persist in the environment for years and a 'compostable bag' which meets the Australian third party accreditations AS4736 (commercial compostable) or AS5810 (home compostable) – which means the item will break down in a compost environment in a defined time frame to carbon dioxide, water and biomass.

The terms 'biodegradable' and 'compostable' are not equivalent or interchangeable. 'Biodegradable' simply means something will be broken down by microbes over time, which is true for most materials on the planet. An aluminium can is 'biodegradable' if you wait 200 years. Since this term applies to almost everything, it is essentially a meaningless claim and one that has been significantly abused through greenwashing. In contrast, 'compostable' means something will break down in a reasonable amount of time, leave behind no toxic residue, and safely become an additive to soil.

Our products are certified compostable by independent laboratories. Our bioplastic bags are certificated EN13432 or AS4736 is proof that our products have been tested using specific methodologies and have passed those tests.

With some justification, it can be argued that an organically recyclable/compostable bag, such as those that meet the requirements of AS4736 or AS5810 presents much less of a potential hazard than a polyethylene bag because the compostable bag can be reused for the collection and disposal of organic waste to industrial or home composting or other organic recycling, which is much needed because organic waste is a large component of waste going to landfill and by definition, a compostable bag will biodegrade in any environment where there is organic activity such as on the soil or in the sea.

Yes, the window is PLA and most of the BioBoard range is PLA lined inside to ensure the paper doesn't absorb any condensation or softens. The sandwich wedge has a PLA window but no PLA lining.

Our bags would break down at the same rate as other organic materials in landfills.

Any claim that defines a specific time frame to biodegrade in landfills is completely misleading. Landfills are not designed to promote the biodegradation of organic waste. Landfills are designed to be stable and entomb the contents. The rate of anaerobic degradation in landfills is dependent on moisture and temperature – where there is little moisture the contents can take generations to biodegrade.

BioNapkin range benefits include:

• Made from FSC™️ (License code FSC™️ C110879) certified paper. FSC™ certification confirms responsible forest management that preserves the ecosystem and benefits the lives of locals
• Can be placed in home compost bins and are widely accepted in council or commercial green bins
• Can help reduce usage by 25% when used in our Single Saver BioDispenser

For more information, read the flyer about "Which BioNapkins fit which BioDispenser?"

Whilst compostable bioplastic bags will break down faster in a marine environment (estimated within 12 months), they will still harm marine animals if they end up in the ocean.

We have a range of FSC™ certified paper bags as an alternative to our bioplastic bags. The bioplastics industry is developing rapidly and a new type of bioplastic called PHA, this material biodegrades rapidly in a marine environment and should be commercially available within two years.

Yes, as a paper product, our napkins can be placed in home compost bins and are widely accepted in council or commercial organics bins.

The bags won't melt unless in direct contact with very high temperatures or an open flame. The strength of the bags will deteriorate rapidly if stored in a high temperature environment.

No.

No, our napkins are not accepted in the paper recycling stream as they are often soiled with food residue after use.

BioPak paper BioStraws are made from 3-ply premium-grade FSC™️ (License code FSC™️ C110879) certified paper sustainably sourced from managed plantations. Unlike other paper straws on the market, they are not lined with plastic. BioStraws are recyclable, home compostable and industrially compostable.

Oxo-degradable

Additives such as 'oxo' compounds are designed to fragment petroleum-based plastics into small pieces to be degraded by microorganisms. These fragmented micro-pieces contribute to micro-plastic pollution. Oxo-degradable straws should be avoided as micro-plastics have a range of detrimental environmental impacts.

PLA

PLA straws are industrially compostable and require industrial compost conditions to be processed back into organic material.

Paper

Paper straws are the most sustainable option, as they will biodegrade in the natural environment. In seawater, they will 'untwirl' relatively quickly, greatly limiting the risk of harming marine life.

More information:

• Impact of oxo-degradable plastics on the environment
• Against biodegradability additives for petroleum­-based plastics

BioStraws are available in three sizes:

• Cocktail (4.5x120mm)
• Regular (6x197mm)
• Jumbo (10x197mm)

Yes, as a paper product, BioStraws can be placed in home compost bins and are widely accepted in council or commercial organics bins.

We do not use any coating on our BioStraws. They are uncoated and made from FSC™ (License code FSC™️ C110879) certified paper only.

To request samples please send an email to sales@biopak.com including your business name, shipping address, contact phone number and your requested sample list.

(Please note that we will require a street address as we do not deliver to P.O. box addresses).

Yes, we send samples of our product at no charge.

Yes, simply navigate to the product you would like to order a sample of and get in touch with us through the Contact Us page to make your order

The MOQs vary per product. Please see our Custom Packaging page for the required quantities.

Yes, you can mix the designs for custom cups. You can mix up to 4 different designs to satisfy the minimum order quantity.

The lead time varies per product. Please send an email to sales@biopak.com for the most up-to-date lead times.

We specialise in food packaging but we do sometimes manufacture custom packaging for other industries and uses.

Please send an enquiry to sales@biopak.com with:

• Material required
• Quantity required
• Dimensions
• Reference photo

Yes, we offer free storage for a period of 3 months. For longer periods, the storage rate can be discussed in the contract.

Sometimes we ask for a deposit as we are required to front the manufacturing costs for custom products.

For custom printing, we do not send a physical sample before going into production.

For custom moulded pulp, we can send a sample but there is a nominal cost involved.

Compost Connect is a composting initiative developed by BioPak, to help connect foodservice businesses to composting services and divert waste from landfills.

From as little as $1 a day, you can divert your food scraps and compostable packaging from landfills and avoid the methane gas this would produce there.

Previously known as the BioPak Compost Service, Compost Connect currently has 18 compost partners, servicing 2,200+ suburbs across Australia and New Zealand. Find your local business composting service below and turn your ‘waste’ into nutrient-rich compost. Businesses who also join the Compost Club to be featured on the Map get extra perks on top of saving the planet!

BioPak supports the adoption of reusables wherever possible, but there are circumstances where reusables are not viable.

Where single-use foodservice packaging is the only viable option, using compostable packaging and implementing an organics waste stream is the most sustainable choice. In the foodservice, industry packaging is often soiled with food residue. This is seen as contamination by the recycling industry, meaning that even if the packaging is technically recyclable, it will actually end up in a landfill.

Composting is a circular economy solution that processes food waste and compostable packaging in the same waste stream. This allows businesses to reduce their environmental impact by diverting waste from landfills instead of having it turned into nutrient-rich compost.

Benefits of composting:

• Composting helps fight climate change by sequestering carbon into the soil and avoiding methane emissions from landfills.
• Compost is nutrient-rich, allowing farmers to grow more food locally without the use of chemical fertilisers.
• Compost is an amazing soil conditioner that helps retain moisture and fight droughts.

12-month service is the shortest contract length we offer for the compost collection service. Trial periods are available in some areas at the discretion of our collection partners. Email info@compostconnect.com for more information.

We don’t sell compost ourselves but you might be able to buy some directly from our compost partners.

Joining Compost Connect is easy!

1. Go to Compost Connect to find your closest composter and request a quote.
2. Sign up and you will receive a back of wheelie bin ready for weekly collection at the frequency you choose.
3. Fill your bins for regular collections.

You will be billed by our Compost Partners directly. BioPak does not profit from this service and simply connects customers with the Compost Partner available in their area.

You can place any type of food scrap, leftover, spoiled or out of date food into your organics as well as compostable packaging that has been certified to Australian standards (AS4736).

This includes:

• BioPak certified compostable products
• Fruit and vegetable peels and scraps
• Meat and seafood scraps and bones
• Eggshells
• Dairy products
• Bread, pasta, rice, cereal
• Coffee grounds and chaff
• Tea bags
• Out-of-date food (processed or fresh)
• Confectionery
• Processed food
• BioPak compostable bin liners.

Compost Connect offers commercial organic waste collection in over 2,200 postcodes across Australia and New Zealand. Pricing varies by location, please request a quote from your local composter.

Email info@compostconnect.com and our team can assist you in determining what bin size will be right for you.

Your organic waste will be transported to a commercial compost facility where it will undergo several stages of processing and maturation. In 12 weeks time, it will be a high-quality compost ready for application to land.

For more information, watch "BioPak Compost Service - How does composting work?" video.

Yes, we service once-off collections in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Pricing is case-by-case depending on location, bin size and the number of bins. Email info@compostconnect.com for more information.

Our Compost Partners can provide you with a bin (a small rental fee may apply) or you can use your own wheelie bin if you have one.

The wrong materials in your organics bin could contaminate a whole truckload of organics. Contaminated bins will not be collected and you could be charged a futile or contaminated bin fee. Contaminated bins will need to have the contaminants removed, or be collected by your general waste collection provider.

Yes, please ask your office Building Manager to get in contact with us at info@compostconnect.com

Yes, you can change your bin size once during your contract. This can be arranged with your Compost Partner directly.

Food organics can create some odour as they decompose and are exposed to heat. This can be minimised by lining your kitchen bin with compostable bin liners and having the bin emptied into your back-of-house wheelie bin regularly. The back-of-house wheelie bin should be kept out of direct sunlight.

Unfortunately, at this stage, our compost service does not cover residential buildings. We recommend you contact your local council for support in composting your organic waste or you might find a neighbour nearby who is keen to share their compost bin with you on the ShareWaste website.

120L is the smallest bin size we can collect, except in Cairns (20L buckets). We recommend considering partnering with another local business to share a bin if this is the case.

Yes, you do not need to be a direct customer of BioPak but you need to be using packaging that is certified to AS4736 standards. Our compost partners only accept packaging that has been certified compostable to these standards. BioPak is the only food packaging company with foodservice ranges certified to the Australian certification AS4736 for commercial composting.

If you are a business or an organisation that doesn’t use foodservice single-use packaging, please email us at info@compostconnect.com

Our compost partners can only accept packaging that is certified to AS4736 standards. We can only accept packaging if the company name is officially listed on the Australasian BioPlastics Association website as a verified compostable packaging provider. BioPak is currently the only food packaging company with food-service packaging certified to the AS4736 standard.

Many Compost Connect members report that their customers love the initiative and do bring their cups and packaging back for composting. We encourage cafes to offer a loyalty card scheme, where each BioPak product returned for composting earns a stamp towards a free hot drink or treat.

Yes! Compost Connect provides a wide range of promotional and educational material to communicate the benefits of choosing to divert your organic waste from landfills. Promote your sustainability efforts with your free Compost Club pack. Your suite of marketing collateral includes a window sticker, a bin sticker, a composting Do’s & Don’ts poster and your front-of-house paper compost bin.

You will receive a free Compost Club pack for every venue that you sign up for a compost service. We also sell additional compost club packs at the cost price of $26.

In the ACT, BioPak has partnered with GoTerra, an innovative organics recycling business using bioconversion to process organic waste. Organic waste is fed to their black soldier flies who consume multiple times their body weight in food waste and compostable items each day. Once the flies reach a certain size, they are harvested and used as animal feed.

Composting is the process of turning organic waste, such as food scraps and compostable packaging, into nutrient rich compost that can be applied to land. Composting reproduces the natural process of organic material decay by providing the ideal conditions for microorganisms to break down the mater. The end-product of this process is nutrient-rich soil that can help crops, garden plants and trees to grow.

Food packaging must be clean from food and beverage residue to be eligible for recycling. If contaminated products end up in the recycling they can send a whole truckload to a landfill!

The products below are generally accepted in co-mingled recycling when clean, but it's best to check with your local council to confirm:

• Paper board trays (not coated with PLA)
• Paper board boxes (not coated with PLA)
• Sugarcane plates
• Sugarcane bowls
• Sugarcane trays
• Sugarcane containers
• Sugarcane clamshells
• PS coffee cup lids (white only)
• PET transparent lids

PLA bioplastic is considered inert in landfill, however our fibre-based products biodegrade in the absence of oxygen. This creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This is why it is so important to compost our products after use. Products like paper straws, wooden cutlery, napkins and unlined papers can be composted in backyard compost bins while products containing PLA need to be processed by an industrial composting facility.

Visit Compost Connect to find out if one of your local cafes or restaurants is using a compost service. You might be able to use their bin for small quantities of packaging (with their permission). You can also contact your council to find out if certified compostable packaging is allowed in the green bin. If there's no green bin yet, tell them they are needed! Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial to get Australia on its way to Net Zero, a necessary step to fight climate change.

Home composting and industrial composting

There are two broad categories of composting, home composting and industrial composting. Home composting involves piling organic waste and aerating it over several weeks. An industrial compost facility optimises the composting process by controlling oxygen content and temperature in a commercial facility to ensure rapid biodegradation of organic material to produce a high quality, toxic-free compost. Home composts also produces rich compost at the end of the process but may not maintain the right temperature and oxygen conditions for composting PLA products.

Types of industrial composting:

• Windrow
  • Windrow composting is a simple composting process which involves piling organic material in heaps called windrows and aerated through passive or active ventilation, or regular turning.
• In-vessel composting
  • In-vessel composting methods confine organic materials in a building, container, or vessel in which air flow and temperature can be controlled.
• Anaerobic digestion
  • Anaerobic digestion is a sequence of processes by which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen in a “digester”. The process is used for industrial or domestic purposes to manage waste or to produce fuels and fertilisers.

When food packaging is contaminated with food and beverage residue, it becomes extremely difficult to recycle through the regular recycling streams and usually ends up in a landfill. Moreover, recent bans on plastic exports, and a lack of local recycling infrastructure, has left the future of Australian recycling highly uncertain.

Composting is an organics recycling solution that processes compostable food packaging and organic waste in one stream. It is processed locally with no overseas exporting and returns nutrients to Australian soil. Composting is the ideal waste solution for the food and beverage industry.

Our products are made of renewable materials that have a lower environmental impact than conventional plastic derived from fossil fuels. We source our products responsively and donate 5% of profits to associations that restore forests, help communities in need and grow composting capacity. Some of our products can also be recycled if not too contaminated with food, visit our website for more information.

Home composting

Much of the BioPak range is certified home compostable to the Australian AS5810 compost standard. This means it will break down in standard home compost conditions in 12 weeks. Home compostable ranges include BioBags, BioBoard, BioCane, BioCutlery and BioNapkins.

Residential FOGO bin

BioPak's long-term goal is to have council Food Organics and Garden Organics, or 'FOGO' bins, that accept compostable packaging available for residents nationally and beyond. Local councils in Hobart and Adelaide are leading the way and already offering FOGO bins that accept compostable packaging to all residents. We are actively working with government and industry to push for this to happen. You can help by starting up a local petition for FOGO bins that accept compostable packaging in your area.

General waste bin

You may have to put the compostable packaging in your general waste bin for now – but it is still a significantly better option than conventional plastics made from oil. Our products are made from rapidly renewable plant materials.

Composting is a circular economy solution that allows businesses to reduce their environmental impact by diverting organic waste from landfills instead of having it turned into nutrient-rich compost. Composting is a local organics solution that is processed in your region without relying on exports and has a huge positive impact on the environment.

Compost:

• Helps fight climate change by sequestering carbon into the soil and avoiding methane emissions from landfill
• Is a natural fertiliser that allows farmers to grow more food locally
• Is an amazing soil conditioner that helps retain moisture and fight droughts

The plastic sleeves are polyethylene, a type of soft plastic eligible for recycling at Redcycle drop off points.

When food decomposes in landfills it releases methane which is a greenhouse gas 26-38 times more potent than carbon dioxide and a significant contributor to the climate crisis. We support composting as a circular economy solution for food scraps and compostable packaging, as it avoids methane emissions from landfills and converts this waste into compost which can then be applied to land and sequester even more carbon from the atmosphere back into the soil.

For more information, read the "EPA Methane Fact Sheet".

Once-off event collection

You can use our platform Compost Connect to organise a one off collection with one of our compost partner.

Home composting

Much of the BioPak range is certified home compostable to the Australian AS5810 compost standard. This means it will break down in standard home compost conditions in 12 weeks. Home compostable ranges include BioBags, BioBoard, BioCane, BioCutlery and BioNapkins.

Residential FOGO bin

BioPak's long-term goal is to have council Food Organics and Garden Organics, or 'FOGO' bins, that accept compostable packaging available for residents nationally and beyond. Local councils in Hobart and Adelaide are leading the way and already offering FOGO bins that accept compostable packaging to all residents. We are actively working with government and industry to push for this to happen. You can help by starting up a local petiton for FOGO bins that accept compostable packaging in your area.

General waste bin

You may have to put the compostable packaging in your general waste bin for now – but it is still a significantly better option than conventional plastics made from oil. Our products are made from rapidly renewable plant materials.

The terms 'biodegradable' and 'compostable' are not equivalent or interchangeable. 'Biodegradable' simply means something will be broken down by microbes over time, which is true for most materials on the planet. Since this term applies to almost everything, it is a meaningless claim that has been abused through greenwashing.

In contrast, 'compostable' means something will break down in a defined amount of time and in set conditions (humidity levels, temperature, etc), such as the ones encountered in home compost bins or in composting facilities.

Like any other environmental claim though, it needs to be substantiated. That is why our compostable products are certified to the Australian Home Compostability AS5810 standards or/and Australian Industrial Compostability AS4736 standards. These testing programs also ensure that the packaging does not hinder compost quality and that the compost produced can safely be applied to land.

More information:

• Read more about our product certifications
• Check who is certified to the AS4736 and AS5810 standards
• Why we don't use biodegradable plastic additives
• ACCC clamping down on misleading environmental claims – Dymystifying 'biodegradable' and 'compostable'

Organic waste is waste of biological origins such as paper, cardboard, bioplastic, food, green and garden waste, animal waste and biosolids and sludges. In Australia, we send 7 million tonnes of organic waste to landfills where it decomposes to produce greenhouse gases including methane. The BioPak Compost Service helps businesses divert organic waste from landfills and have it recycled into nutrient-rich compost.

All BioPak products that hold home compostability certification (AS5810) or products made from wood and processed fibrous organic materials (Wooden cutlery, unlined bioboard, paper bags, and napkins) can be disposed in your home compost.

BioPak's home compostable ranges conform to Australian home compost standards and are certified AS5810. This means they will decompose in standard home compost conditions within 180 days. However, the actual rate of biodegradation will depend on the temperature and humidity of the compost pile.

Home compostable range

You can safely put BioPak's home compostable product range in your worm farm. It is recommended you shred the packaging before you place it in your worm farm for the best results.

Commercially compostable range

Some customers have successfully processed our compostable coffee cups in their worm farms – it takes a bit longer but the worms do eventually get through them. Clear PLA products, PLA cutlery and PLA lids should not be processed in a worm farm.

The BioPak home compostable ranges are usually fine to be placed in the FOGO bins, however, each local council has its own requirements so you need to contact your council directly for confirmation.

BioPak PLA products are accepted in residential FOGO in Hobart, South Australia and some parts of Western Australia.

BioPak’s certified compostable range will decompose in an industrial compost facility within 12 weeks.

We are working on getting the seedling logo on all our certified compostable products and hope to see this achieved in the near future.

Our products do not cost the earth in the way that bio-based plastics have the unique advantage over conventional plastics to reduce the dependency on limited fossil resources and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They can also be turned back into nutritious compost where facilities exist – supporting a circular economy where there is no waste. BioPak strives to minimise any negative impacts our business has on the environment. 

Carbon footprint is a simple way to communicate our impact on climate change, either as an individual, group, or company. It’s essential to understanding and minimising our impact on the planet. 

Because every greenhouse gas has a different potency and ‘global warming potential’ (GWP) – we convert the effects of other gases (like methane and nitrous oxide) into the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. This is CO2-eq. 

Every BioPak product now has an Environmental Impact Label. When you click on ‘read full report’ in the bottom right corner of the Environmental Impact Label, you’ll be taken to a more detailed ‘Environmental Impact Report.’ You’ll find a section in this report that outlines the CO2-eq. 

Carbon footprint is calculated across the entire life cycle – that includes the extraction of raw materials, production, transport, and finally, the end of life disposal. This is often referred to as Life Cycle Assessment (more on this in the section below).

Carbon footprint is a valuable metric – but it shouldn’t be used in isolation. Becoming tunnel-visioned and focusing solely on carbon footprint can overlook other important factors, like the impact on human health and biodiversity. It’s important that we look beyond carbon footprint and take a holistic view of a product’s impact.

Eco-costs place a monetary value on the environmental costs of a product (calculated per carton of product). It’s the ‘price’ nature and society pay to produce a product, calculated across four categories: biodiversity loss, effects on human health, material scarcity and carbon emissions. 

This gives customers a straightforward metric to understand and compare the environmental impacts of our products. 

Note: it’s a concept and a guide, not a hidden or added fee to the product's market price.

No, eco-costs aren’t included in the price of our products. It’s up to us to reduce our product’s impact on the environment. 

Eco-costs are calculated per carton of product because this is how they’re sold. 

Eco-costs allow us to understand our impact on the environment so we can work to reduce it. By using four key categories (biodiversity loss, effects on human health, material scarcity and carbon emissions) we can gain a rounded view of a product’s impact – rather than becoming ‘tunnel-visioned’ and focusing solely on one factor, like carbon footprint.

It’s a complex calculation (made simple for the end-consumer) because we are essentially converting carbon footprint, resource scarcity, impact on biodiversity and impact on human health into the same ‘metric’. 

Using a Life Cycle Assessment method, the individual results for each separate category are called ‘midpoint indicators’. The eco-cost system used in Pickler was created by the foundation Sustainability Impact Metrics (a spin-off of the Technical University of Delft). It adds a monetary value to each midpoint indicator, allowing us to add up the values into four main categories. When we add these up, we get the total environmental cost of a product. This gives us a simple, digestible figure. 

An eco score is an overall score based on the eco-costs model. There are 9 possible eco scores ( A+, A, B, C, D, E, F, and G) with A+ having the lowest eco-cost per kg of material, and G having the highest eco-cost per kg of material. These can be used to compare products in similar categories.

Greenhouse gas emissions (like carbon) trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and exacerbate global warming – a colossal problem in today’s world. The concept of ‘carbon footprint’ is a simple way to communicate our impact on the climate. 

A product’s carbon footprint refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere as a result of all the activities completed to create that product (across the entire life cycle). Carbon footprint is expressed as CO2-eq – a metric that translates all greenhouse gases into the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. 

At BioPak, we’re working to reduce our carbon footprint through our Emissions Reduction Plan. Instead of allocating 1% of our profits to carbon offsets, we are channelling these funds into our Emissions Reduction Plan – supporting research, education, and advocacy projects that promote composting in our markets. It’s not a step back but a leap forward. 

Read about our Emissions Reduction Plan. 

At BioPak, we prioritise rapidly renewable, plant-based resources, designed for the circular economy. 

For example, we use bagasse (also known as sugarcane pulp) which is an agricultural bioproduct after the sugarcane plant is harvested for its juice. The sugarcane pulp to make our products would otherwise be sent to landfill. What’s more, sugarcane is a rapidly renewable and widely available resource due to its fast-growing nature and ability to be harvested annually.

We also use FSC™ certified paper and birchwood for things like straws and cutlery. The Forest Stewardship Council™ is a non-profit organisation that acts to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.

Economic activities to create products, like deforestation and pollution of soil, water and landscapes, can negatively impact biodiversity. That’s why we work to reduce our impact on biodiversity. 

We choose to use rapidly renewable, plant-based resources, designed for the circular economy – like FSC™ certified paper and birchwood. Our products are designed to be composted at the end of life, which diverts food and organic waste from landfill and turns it into nutrient-rich compost instead. This compost can then be used to grow more plants. We also help to compost as much of our products as possible via our not-for-profit composting platform, Compost Connect. 

We also donate 5% of our profits to social and environmental charities. Since 2012, we’ve donated our time, energy and a total of $4.7 million – including planting or rescuing 90,947 trees through Rainforest Rescue 

This impact category covers how the creation of a product can affect human health, specifically in relation to diseases. 

PFAS (AKA forever chemicals) are found in almost everything. BioPak has discovered PFAS in a small range of BioCane products. We’re moving quickly to completely phase out PFAS in our production – this will make us the first in our industry.

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analyses a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. This gives us a holistic view of its overall environmental impacts.

Considering the entire life cycle of a product is essential in reducing the total environmental impact. For example, imagine if we only considered the environmental impact of manufacturing our coffee cups – we would then be disregarding the raw material extraction and the way it’s disposed of at the end of its life.

Using Pickler’s Life Cycle Assessment methodology, a product’s life cycle stages include:

• Raw material extraction
• Manufacturing
• Use phase*
• End of life
• Transportation (throughout the life cycle)

*BioPak doesn’t factor in this phase – the use phase of our products does not create any additional emissions (unlike other products, like cars or electric appliances). 

When you click on the ‘read full report’ link, you’ll be taken to the environmental impact report. Here, you’ll find a summary of the environmental footprint (carbon footprint and eco-costs) of the packaging at every stage of its life cycle. 

When we talk about our Life Cycle Assessment, we also have to consider what we’re analysing. This is where eco-costs and carbon footprint come in. 

Eco-costs are a concept that places a monetary value on the environmental costs of a product (note: this is not an additional fee for our products). Eco-costs are broken down into four key categories: carbon footprint, impact on biodiversity, impact on human health, and impact on material scarcity (requested by European legislation). These categories are what goes into our Life Cycle Assessment. 

Learn more about eco-costs. 

Life Cycle Assessments give us invaluable data to help individuals, companies and industries understand their impact – and this is the first step to reducing it. 

Ingeo™ bioplastic: Using Ingeo™ reduces raw materialCO2 emissions by 80% compared to regular plastic resin.

Paper and wood: Sustainably sourced from managed plantations and made from FSC™ certified sources wherever possible.

Sugarcane pulp: By-product of the sugar refining industry, which is both rapidly renewable and sustainably sourced.

If consumers are choosing to pay more to reduce their environmental impact then it’s our job – as manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers – to honour that. We must all ensure our products live up to the environmental claims and offer a real environmental benefit – not just lip service that makes consumers feel good whilst inadvertently continuing to pollute the environment.

Environmental claims around biodegradability are often used in ways that are confusing or misleading with certification often omitted and time frames to decompose undefined, so it is important to back up any claims with third-party certification.

At BioPak, we only make real-world environmental and sustainability claims that can be independently verified through a robust and rigorous scientific process. We go to great lengths to ensure our packaging products align with the principles of a circular economy, and our compostable products are certified to Australian and international standards.

For more information, visit "BioPak product and facility certifications" website.

The organic recycling industry is rapidly evolving. BioPak has launched Compost Connect, a brand-agnostic and initiative that aims to divert organic waste from landfill by connecting foodservice businesses to composters and certified compostable packaging suppliers. It also connects end users to responsible cafes and councils who choose composting.

Compost Service facilitates customers to connect with existing commercial composting infrastructure. We also support the growth of new infrastructure by driving demand for a thriving composting industry to assist in making new investment viable. We are also engaged with councils, waste collection contractors and composters to increase education and awareness for composting and reduce contamination across all waste streams.

No, we do not use any palm oil or palm derivatives in any of our products.

Certified B Corporations have undertaken the rigorous B Impact Assessment which explores a company’s governance, transparency, environmental and social impact. B Corps voluntarily hold themselves to a higher level of accountability in these areas. B Corps redefine success in business by competing not to be the best in the world, but to be the best for the world.

BioPak is proud to be a certified B Corp. With our focus on developing and promoting sustainable plant-based packaging solutions, we have, in the space of 10 years, disrupted an industry and continue to improve to offer the most sustainable food packaging possible.

For more information, read our blog on "What it means to be a B Corp".

BioPak give back 5% of profits to positive change, so when you choose BioPak products you're contributing to important social and environmental initiatives. As a responsible business, we believe we have an obligation to preserve and protect the environment and to give back and support the communities in which we operate.

Rainforest Rescue and GreenFleet

We donate 1% of Australian profits to Rainforest Rescue and 1% of New Zealand profits to GreenFleet. Since 2012, this pledge has funded the planting of over 50,000 trees and purchased 5 hectares of rainforest for protection.

Charities and Organisations

We donate 4% of profits to support the charitable community work of many of our hospitality customers, particularly those working with the homeless and disadvantaged. We are a key partner to STREAT who empower young homeless people to find their feet through employment in the hospitality industry. We support a number of projects from fantastic charities like Rosies ‘Cuppa’ program, OzHarvest, Food Bank and Christ Mission Possible. 2% of sales of our Indigenous BioCups also goes directly to CorporateConnect.AB to support Indigenous communities.

Most BioPak products are certified industrially compostable to Australian and/or European Home compost standards. Home compostability certification typically requires that the product breaks down in a regular backyard composting environment, like a compost bin or pile. To pass, products are required to break down within 180 days and leave no toxic residue behind: the chemical composition of the compost is assessed and potential contaminants are measured against maximum values.

Traditional plastics, which are made from fossil fuels, are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. That is why we focus on natural, renewable, and fully compostable materials for our packaging. We are a signatory of the Ellen MacArthur New Plastics Economy commitment, the NZ Plastic Packaging Declaration, and an active member of the APCO working groups dedicated to finding sustainable solutions for the packaging industry. We have publicly pledged to remove plastic from our range by 2025.

We are working relentlessly on phasing out any remaining plastics in our portfolio and adopting new materials as soon as they are commercially viable for our customers.

The use of PE plastic sleeves is a health and safety requirement for food contact packaging. We have successfully validated the move to home compostable bioplastic sleeves to replace our current plastic ones. We are now working with suppliers to implement this across the full range.

Most BioPak products are certified industrially compostable to the Australian AS4736 compost standard. AS4736 requires that the product disintegrates after 12-weeks in industrial compost conditions and completely biodegrades after six months. That means that 90 percent or more of the material will have been converted to CO2 and the remaining share is converted into water and biomass. AS4736 also requires that the quality of the compost is not hindered by the products and is safe to be applied to land.

BioPak's compostable products are certified to the Australian Industrially Compostable AS4736 standard and/or the Australian Home Compostable AS5810 standard and can be composted where the infrastructure exists. Compost Connect links BioPak customers using compostable packaging and this composting infrastructure. It is available in 15 major cities in Australia and New Zealand, covering over 2100 suburbs.

BioPak is driving demand for the growth of commercial composting infrastructure by proving that it is an easy local solution that works. We have launched the Compost Connect platform, which aims to divert organic waste from landfill by connecting foodservice businesses to composters and certified compostable packaging suppliers. It also connects end users to responsible cafes and councils that choose to compost. BioPak's long-term goal is to have council Food Organics and Garden Organics, or 'FOGO' bins, that accept compostable packaging available for residents nationally and beyond. Some councils are leading the way and already offering FOGO bins that accept compostable packaging to their residents. We are actively working with the government and industry to push for this to happen. You can help by starting up a local petition for FOGO bins that accept compostable packaging in your area.

We advocate for reusables wherever possible, but where single-use items are the most viable option, BioPak is committed to providing the most sustainable option possible.

The Australia compostability certification is the same as European Union (EU) with the addition of an earthworm eco-toxicity test.

ISO 14000 is a series of environmental management standards developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for organizations. The ISO 14000 standards provide a guideline or framework for organizations that need to systematize and improve their environmental management efforts.

ISO 22000 is a food safety management system that can be applied to any organisation in the food chain, farm to fork. ISO 22000 standards require that business have a food safety management system in place.

The ISO 9000 quality management system standards are designed to help organisations ensure that they meet statutory and regulatory requirements related to a product or service.

With so many packaging products made from paper, it’s important to ensure our forests are not irreparably damaged in the creation of paper-based packaging. The Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™) is an international non-profit that acts to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. BioPak is FSC certified to ensure the paper-based packaging we create is produced in a sustainable manner, with minimal environmental impact.