Do You Really Need Compostable Bags for Your Food Scraps?

If you save food scraps for composting, lining your kitchen collection bin with a bag labeled as compostable or biodegradable may seem like a great way to keep it clean and transport all those veggie peels and coffee grinds to your compost heap or municipal dropoff point. However, whether or not you actually need to buy those liners depends on several factors—and in fact, many experts say it’s better to forgo liners altogether or just reuse paper bags instead.

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Here's what you need to know about compost bin liners, why they may do more harm than good even if they’re compostable, and how you can keep your kitchen tidy without them.

What are compostable bags or bin liners?

Compostable bags may look and feel similar to plastic produce bags made from petroleum, but they’re manufactured out of plant-based materials, such as vegetable starches, wood pulp, lactic acid, or soy proteins. These materials are designed to be consumed by microorganisms that help them decompose into the soil-like organic substance we know as compost.

The problem is that not all composting systems create the right environment for these bags to fully break down. Typically, only municipal or commercial composting facilities—not home composting setups—generate enough heat, moisture, and airflow to allow for full decomposition. But these facilities can also differ in their capacities, so even if your food scraps get collected for off-site composting, compostable bags may still be prohibited.

Can I put compostable bags in with my food waste?

It depends. Just as every town seems to have its own set of rules about what kind of recycling it accepts, one composting system may differ from another in its ability to take compostable bags.

The most important thing you can do is confirm with your municipal collection, compost drop-off, or private composting service what kinds of materials are and aren’t allowed and then abide by that.

If you are allowed to use compostable bags, your best bet is to look for ones with a logo from the Biodegradable Products Institute, a not-for-profit organization that issues a compostability certification widely considered the gold standard in the US. (You can also check here to see if an item is BPI certified.) The certification relies in part on ASTM International compostability standards to determine whether an item will break down “quickly, completely and safely, when composted in well-run municipal and commercial facilities.” It also prohibits the addition of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), which are sometimes used in packaging and can persist in the environment for a very long time.

Can I put compostable bags in my home compost heap?

You probably don’t want to, since they likely won’t decompose well. At-home composting systems, including tumblers, in-ground composters, and worm towers, typically don’t generate enough heat to fully break the bags down. “We have experimented with trying to compost these bags in backyard tumblers and did not have much success; they composted somewhat, but definitely not fully,” Michelle Bradley, co-founder of Java’s Compost, a private composting service in New Jersey, said in an interview.

Can I compost so-called biodegradable plastic bags?

No, you can’t. A bag (or another disposable item, like plastic cutlery) that’s labeled biodegradable is not necessarily also compostable. In fact, BPI executive director Rhodes Yepsen said in an interview that biodegradable is a word that’s “too vague to be meaningful” as a marketing term on its own without additional context. A manufacturer can call an item biodegradable without specifying that the degradation process could take centuries or require a specific environment to thoroughly degrade. The term also doesn’t necessarily mean that the item breaks down into nontoxic components, either; it just means that, sooner or later, it breaks down into something else.

“It’s not a real thing,” at least not in terms of waste management, said New York City Department of Sanitation commissioner Jessica Tisch in a interview. “If a product can’t be composted, it’s going to a landfill. And if it’s going to a landfill, the biodegradable stuff in a landfill sits there for decades or centuries.”

How can I keep my kitchen scrap bin clean?

Some cities suggest residents use brown paper bags or newspaper as liners for their food-scrap containers instead of buying so-called compostable bags. But as always, if you’re participating in an off-site composting program, it’s best to confirm if paper bags are accepted. For at-home composting, brown paper bags are a great addition to your pile, since paper goods can improve the nutritional balance of compost.

Stashing food scraps in your freezer is another way to keep things tidy and odor free. Tisch (who opts for this method at home) noted that if you store your compost in the freezer you can forgo a countertop bin altogether; instead, you can use something like an old plastic takeout container, which you can wash between uses.

If you opt for a countertop container, one with a built-in charcoal filter helps reduce odor. (The Oggi Countertop Compost Pail comes with a filter and is a staff favorite.) And, of course, if you take out the bin often and rinse it out after each use, smells shouldn’t build up in the first place.

If you’re looking for more recommendations about what to do with those scraps after you’ve collected them, check out our staff’s favorite compost bins.

This article was edited by Katie Okamoto and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Sources

1. Michelle Bradley, co-founder of Java’s Compost, interview, September 13,

2. Rhodes Yepsen, executive director at Biodegradable Products Institute, interview, September 19,

Plastic waste is a huge contributor to pollution. The wide variety of plastics that are not biodegradable or compostable and don’t get recycled spend millions of years sitting in landfills or end up in the ocean. 

New forms of plastic and packaging are available that break down faster to combat the problem of pollution. Biodegradable plastics are starting to hit mainstream channels and can become your new go-to form of plastic for water bottles, plastic bags, and garbage bags. 

What Does Biodegradable Mean? 

"Biodegradable" is a term used for certain plastics that break down quicker than commonly used plastics. But just because something is biodegradable doesn’t mean it’ll break down immediately. The process still takes time and depends on how and where the biodegradable plastic gets discarded. 

Another difference between biodegradable and regular pieces of plastic is how the breakdown occurs. A biodegradable plastic breaks down naturally and doesn’t leak more pollution into the earth or water. There’s also a difference between a biodegradable object and a compostable object. Just because something is biodegradable doesn’t mean you can put it in your compost bin.

What Are Eco-Friendly Garbage Bags? 

Eco-friendly garbage bags are plastics made out of reusable, biodegradable, or compostable materials. However, reusable bags aren’t often an easy option for garbage bags. 

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Biodegradable vs. degradable. Degradable plastic bags have a lot of chemicals and heavy metals in them. This can cause problems when the plastic starts to break down because the chemical and metals begin to seep into the ground and can pollute the Earth and waterways.

Other harmful parts of the breakdown process happen when animals start eating smaller, broken-down pieces of plastic. This is particularly problematic in the ocean with microplastics.

Biodegradable and degradable bags break down when sunlight and heat are exposed. The difference between these two is the material inside and how fast that breakdown process happens. 

Biodegradable vs. compostable. Biodegradable plastic bags are similar to degradable bags with added microorganisms that speed up the breakdown process. Compostable bags have natural components. These bags are made with natural plant starch and are free from toxic material. 

Compostable bags, as their name implies, can be put in your compost system and will break down quickly to form compost. You can't put biodegradable bags into your compost system. 

Compostable bags are great for lining containers in which you're collecting food waste or specific compostable materials. If you're using them as a catch-all garbage bag, you would need to separate the contents before putting the bag in your compost system.

What Are Biodegradable Garbage Bags Made Of?

Renewable raw materials like crops make biodegradable plastic. In some cases, recyclable material or trash no longer recyclable is used to make biodegradable plastic. This is different from degradable plastics made of crude oil. 

Bioplastics are the materials found in biodegradable garbage bags. Bioplastics are biopolymers that degrade faster than biobased plastics. Biodegradable garbage bags are considered eco-friendly because of their faster breakdown of the plastic. Biodegradable garbage bags are made of materials that break down into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass.

The challenge of biodegradable material is the temperature levels needed to break it down. Biodegradable material needs very high temperatures to break down, and these temperatures don't always get that high sitting out in the landfill. That can cause the biodegradable garbage bags to last longer than they say they will unless they go to an industrial facility. 

Benefits of Biodegradable Plastic

There are many benefits of biodegradable plastic. Simple, small switches from new plastic to biodegradable plastic can reduce your environmental footprint. 

Pollution from plastic is a global problem. Biodegradable plastics don't solve the waste issue, but they do help. Changes like using biodegradable garbage bags are a great start to helping reduce plastic waste pollution.

Reducing carbon emissions. The manufacturing process for biodegradable plastics produces fewer carbon emissions than that for raw material plastics. Plants are the main component of biodegradable plastics, creating fewer carbon emissions when biodegrading.

Recycling and reuse. Biodegradable plastic has more natural ingredients, making it more recyclable than raw material plastics filled with colors, fillers, and other additives that make it unrecyclable.

Where to Buy Biodegradable Plastic Bags

Biodegradable plastic bags and garbage bags are available at major retailers. Today, biodegradable materials are easily accessible. You can order your biodegradable bags online or buy them in-store. 

Ways to Be Eco-Friendly With Garbage Bags

One way to be eco-friendly with garbage bags is to find ones made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastics. These garbage bags get repurposed from the trash that would end up in the landfill to hold more waste.

Switching to biodegradable garbage bags and more sustainable materials will help save money and reduce the amount of waste you're creating. Another way to make garbage bags eco-friendly is by recycling biodegradable bags. It takes more effort, but sorting your trash and recycling can help reduce waste in the landfill.

Another way to be eco-friendly with garbage bags is to reduce food waste. Now that you’re focused on reducing waste and changing to biodegradable materials in your kitchen, you can tackle food waste. Starting a compost and recycling bin can help reduce the trash in the landfill. 

Biodegradable garbage bags are a great gateway into a more sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle. 

The Takeaway

Adding biodegradable and compostable material to your daily lifestyle and removing single-use plastic from your kitchen is a great way to live a more sustainable life. One thing to watch out for is "greenwashing," when corporations label their products as eco-friendly, organic, or green without substantial proof. 

If the labels are vague, you should watch out for false claims. The best way to tell if something is sustainable and worth adding to your daily use is to look for accredited third-party certifications. Look for the FSC label on paper products. On appliances, look for the Energy Star label. 

Look for labels that have specific wording with claims to back it up. If biodegradable garbage bags say they're eco-friendly, look for claims that mention bioplastics or a high percentage of post-consumer recycled material. 

Are you interested in learning more about Biodegradable Compostable Garbage Bags? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!