Single-Use Compostables: Which Labels to Look For

One the left are non-compostable plastic bags. On the right is a BPI compostable and TUV Austria home compostable certified bag.

Understanding Compostable Certifications

When shopping for compostable alternatives to disposable goods, it’s essential to understand the certifications behind the products. Let’s “break-down” the basics.

It’s important to understand the difference between natural and synthetic materials and how they impact composting. Natural materials, like paper, wood, and plant fibers, are inherently more compostable and break down more easily. These materials are more biologically similar to the microorganisms that digest them as well as to the larger soil content than synthetic materials, which, even if labeled compostable, often require specific conditions to decompose properly. This distinction is crucial, as synthetic compostable items may not fully break down in composting systems.

Even natural materials may be processed with synthetic materials or processed so heavily that they behave like synthetics so it’s important to be aware of and understand what products are made of before composting them (or before buying them in the first place).

Compostable bags are a common and yet confusing compostable item. Here’s some simple ways to narrow down if you’ve found a compostable bag or not.

How to tell the difference between compostable-bags and petroleum-based plastic bags:

Feel- compostable plastic bags usually are smooth and dry to the touch while regular (shmegular) plastic bags feel a little more sticky (imagine trying to open those old produce bags at Giant Eagle compared to ones at the Co-op).
Strength- compostable plastic bags rip relatively easily. Regular plastic bags will stretch quite far before they rip. Both materials rip eventually but compostable plastic bags rip with much less effort than regular plastic.
Look- compostable plastic bags, for the most part, are opaque (meaning that you cannot see through them and very little light comes through) while the regular plastic bags are usually transparent (meaning that light more easily passes through). Even if they’re not totally clear, most semi-transparent or clear bags- as of the writing of this article- are NOT compostable.***
Labels- So confusing! Many produce bags may have “biodegradable” or “green” or “eco” labels but besides the bags at the East End Food Co-op, I have yet to see any other compostable produce bags in Pittsburgh grocery stores. Even if they are green and have a vague compostable label, if they are semi-transparent or totally clear, they are most-likely not small-scale compostable. And biodegradable does not necessarily mean compostable (see above quote from TÜV Austria on the difference).
Why does it matter: the regular plastics will break down into tiny pieces that will potentially enter our food crops if we are using the compost to grow food. Also conventional plastic bags and other plastic disposables can impede the composting process.

Please Note: The Vast Majority of Plastics Bags are Not Compostable

Another way to narrow down a product’s compostability is to check for various certifications on the product’s packaging. Here’s some basics about a few of the largest compostable certifications.

BPI Certification (Biodegradable Products Institute): “BPI is the leading authority on compostable products and packaging in North America,”* and ensures products are compostable in industrial facilities, which operate at high temperatures and controlled conditions. BPI does not currently offer a home compostable certification, so products with this label may not break down effectively in home compost systems. According to their website, they are currently working on creating a home certification. A product certified by BPI, while might not be ideal for small scale composters, is still a sign that a company is going the extra mile to ensure that their product is tested to be compostable, even if only in an industrial facility. If you compost with Shadyside Worms feel free to check with us before adding a new compostable product to your bin. If you have your own worm bin experiment with compostable products and see how the worms react to them in your bin.

Some products that are BPI certified compostable are also certified by the following organization.

TÜV Austria – Vienna based independent organization that serves as “Austria’s leading testing, inspection & certification service provider,”** and was founded over 150 years ago. Excitingly, they seem quite invested in finding nature-friendly certifications for businesses and other organizations. They have this to say on their site about the difference between the words “biodegradable” and “compostable,”:

“A biodegradable product may be broken down by microorganisms but this does not necessarily imply that the product can be converted into good quality compost.
Biodegradability and compostability rely heavily on the environment where the product is broken down. As each environment […] has different temperatures and microorganisms, the speed of the biodegradation process may vary from one site to another.
For example, bioplastics which are biodegradable in an industrial composting plant (the most aggressive atmosphere regime) are not always biodegradable in water or soil, or even in a compost bin in the garden (owing to the lower temperatures).”

TÜV Austria Industrial Compost Certification: Similar to BPI, this certification guarantees compostability in industrial settings.

TÜV Austria Home Compost Certification or “OK compost HOME“: A higher standard for products designed to break down in home composting systems, which operate at lower temperatures and less controlled environments.

The following are a couple examples of BPI certified compostable and TÜV home compostable single use products that can be used as alternatives to plastic food bags.

Shadyside Worms-Tested Single-Use Compostables

HoldOn Zipseal Bags

HoldOn Bags: These TÜV HOME-certified bags are a versatile alternative to plastic zipper bags. HoldOn offers:
- Sandwich Bags: $15.35 for 100 bags
- Assorted Sizes: Snack Bags and Gallon Bags
- Additional Products: Trash bags and pet waste bags

Shop their online store or find their products at Target.

If You Care Paper Snack and Sandwich Bags

If You Care’s Paper Snack and Sandwich Bags: Also TÜV HOME-certified, these are slightly more affordable at $6.69 for a box of 48. Their paper construction is ideal for wrapping snacks and sandwiches while being gentle on compost piles.

Shop their online store or find their products at the East End Food Co-op.

Making the Switch

Every small change adds up to a big difference. By swapping disposable goods with compostable alternatives, you’re helping the environment, supporting sustainable products, and helping to make compostable materials more accessible and effective. Start with these compostable single-use items and see how these little changes can add up. But no worries, if you don’t always get it right, we’re all learning.

*“BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) – Certified Compostable.” BPIWorld. https://bpiworld.org/.

**”About Us.”TÜV AUSTRIA” English, June 20, 2024. https://en.tuv.at/about-us/.

***There is a compostable cling wrap, though, I’m not sure if it is home compostable. https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/compostic-100-home-compostable-cling-wrap-150-sq-ft-b0b3cnchn5

Read about PLA plastics, aka bioplastics here https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/what-is-pla#IsitEnvironmentallyFriendly

If you have a suggestion that’s not on this list, email us with your experience of home-composting the product.