Compostable vs Recyclable: Which Is Better for the Environment?

Composting and recycling can both contribute to a zero waste circular economy. But have you ever wondered which is better for the environment – composting or recycling? 

Well, for starters, composting is recycling – organics recycling! And when both are done correctly, we can reduce what we send to landfill and instead build a sustainable waste stream. 

But the question of which is better – compostable vs recyclable – is difficult to answer because it always depends on the specific material and application. 

Let’s take a closer look. 

Both composting and recycling turn waste into something valuable. Yet in some instances, traditional recycling is a more viable solution, while in others, composting is the best option.

So while we can’t speak on behalf of ALL applications, at BioPak, we see composting as the best disposal choice for foodservice packaging. 

Food waste is a massive problem around the world. If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitting country in the world after China and the USA (source).

Take a closer look at the regions we operate in.

Compostable packaging (rather than traditional recyclable packaging) acts as a vehicle to curb food waste – packaging and food waste can all go in one bin to be commercially composted. 

By diverting food waste, we avoid emissions associated with organics in landfill, while also creating a nutrient-rich fertiliser that can be used to grow more plants. 

So, now we know that both composting and recycling are valuable in their own right, let’s take a closer look at their benefits and differences.

In the simplest terms – composting is for organic matter (anything that was once living), and traditional recycling is for paper, glass, and plastics. 

By definition, composting is the natural breakdown of organic matter over time. Fungi, bacteria, insects, worms and other organisms break down organic waste to produce a nutrient-rich compost, which has flow on benefits for soil and plants. 

For centuries, we’ve been able to harness nature’s power by managing this decomposition process in controlled conditions and dedicated spaces, from small home compost bins to large industrial composting facilities.

On the other hand, recycling involves separating waste and processing it (mechanically or chemically) in order to make the materials ready for reuse into new products. Like composting, recycling requires knowledge and vigilance as both a consumer and a manufacturer. 

The Zero Waste Hierarchy shows – from highest to lowest – the strategies we should use to support a zero waste system. As you can see, recycling and composting fall together in the middle, below reducing and reusing.

There are so many benefits of composting – for people, soil, plants and the planet. 

Reduces emissions

Organic waste in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By composting wasted food and other organics, methane emissions are significantly reduced.

Creates fertiliser

Because composting turns waste into a nutrient-rich fertiliser, we can reduce (or even eliminate) the need for chemical fertilisers.

Improves agriculture

Composting can create healthy soils, which in turn promotes higher yields of agricultural crops.

Reforestation

Compost can help aid reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalisation efforts by improving contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils.

Soil recovery

Compost can be used to restore soils contaminated by hazardous waste in – a cost-effective solution. 

Learn more about the benefits of composting.

Although we see composting as the best recycling choice for the foodservice industry – there are still so many benefits of traditional recycling when used in the right application. 

Recycling is an important step towards achieving a circular economy. By recycling plastics, glass, and polythene correctly, we’re preventing a huge amount of waste from ending up in landfills.

Traditional recycling can: 

• Give a second life to a material (rather than sending it to landfill)
• Reduce the need to harvest new materials
• Reduce carbon emissions and save energy
• Prevent waste from ending up in our environment and waterways
• Create more jobs

Globally, only 9% of plastic is being recycled (source). 

So, why isn’t plastic packaging being recycled? Mostly because it’s either too small to be sorted by recycling plants, is usually contaminated with food, or is made of various materials that can’t be separated easily.

That’s why we believe composting is the perfect end-of-life option for foodservice packaging. Compostable packaging acts as a vehicle to curb food waste – food scraps and packaging can all go in one bin, the organic bin, to be composted industrially.

As a result, compostable packaging helps avoid methane emissions (a potent greenhouse gas associated with organics in landfill) while creating a nutrient-rich resource that can be used to improve soil quality.

What you can and can’t recycle differs depending on the area you live in as well as the specific product. 

Check with your local area to know exactly what you can put in your kerbside recycling bins.

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) has launched The Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) Program – an on-pack labelling scheme to help you recycle your packaging correctly. These labels will tell you what’s recyclable, conditionally recyclable and not recyclable.

In the case of traditional recycling, it’s important that you separate packaging from organic waste. If a bin load of recycling is mixed with a liquid substance or food scraps, the entire bin is contaminated and cannot be recycled.

What you can and can’t recycle differs depending on the area you live in as well as the specific product. Check with your local area to know exactly what you can put in your recycling bins.

In Singapore, Label 4 Recycling has developed symbols in alignment with the Packaging Evaluation Portal (PREP) tool.

What you can and can’t recycle differs depending on the area you live in as well as the specific product. Check with your local area to know exactly what you can put in your recycling bins.

In Hong Kong, there’s a community recycling network, Home Recycling One Stop Shop, that provides direction as to what is recyclable or not. It also supports community recycling and various environmental education activities to instil a green lifestyle within the community. 

In the case of recycling, it’s important that you separate packaging from organic waste. If a bin load of recycling is mixed with a liquid substance or food scraps, the entire bin is contaminated and cannot be recycled.

What you can and can’t recycle differs depending on the area you live in as well as the specific product. Check with your local area to know exactly what you can put in your recycling bins.

In the UK, OPRL is a not-for-profit company dedicated to helping businesses and consumers recycle and reuse packaging correctly. 

They have a simple labelling system to tell you what’s recyclable and not recyclable.

There are two types of composting: industrial and home composting.

Industrial composting requires a commercial compost facility to rapidly biodegrade organic materials. It uses controlled inputs, like aeration, feedstock, temperature and humidity levels to ensure materials reach the right temperature to break down quickly. 

As the name suggests, home composting can be done in your backyard compost. Temperatures are generally lower, which means the process will be slower than a commercial facility. 

But just like the recycling logos, you should look for compostable certifications, too.

There are a few certifications and codes to look for depending on where you’re located.

There’s only one source of truth in Australia and New Zealand in relation to a product’s compostability claims: the Certified Compostable Logo from the Australasian Bioplastic Association (ABA). 

In Europe, you should look for composting certifications from trustworthy certification bodies, like TÜV Rheinland Group and DIN CERTCO. 

To get both the Australian and European certifications, products have to undergo stringent, time-consuming and costly test regimes. But watch out, some products may claim that they ‘adhere’ to compostability standards, but it’s not the same as being certified. This is why we – as consumers – should always trust and support products showing the correct logos. 

Below, you can see an example of the home (AS5810 and NF T51-800) and industrially (AS4736 and EN 13432) compostable logos. Look for one of these two logos AND the company’s sub-licence number stated underneath. For example, at BioPak, our home compostable licence number is 20176/20177.

On top of looking out for the right logos, here’s a guide of what can and can’t go into your compost bin:

We see composting as a more sustainable recycling choice in many industries – particularly the foodservice and packaging industry. That’s because composting acts as a vehicle to curb food waste. Not to mention, it can easily be done in your backyard! 

In saying that, both composting and recycling can help us work toward a zero waste circular economy. They both play an important role and the method you use will depend on the particular packaging and materials.

Our compostable packaging range is certified industrially compostable (AS4736 & EN13432) and certified home compostable (AS5810 & NF T51-800) to Australian and European standards.

Composting is the preferred end-of-life option for our compostable packaging, especially if it’s contaminated with food scraps.

However, a number of our fibre-based products can be recycled too — as long as there’s no food or drink residue remaining on the packaging. Check our labels for guidance.

Finally, our packaging is made from rapidly renewable, plant-based resources. Therefore, it has a smaller CO2 footprint than the production of conventional plastic packaging. So even if our products do end up in landfill, it’s still a more sustainable solution than traditional plastic packaging.