Walk into any supermarket or retail store and the chances are you will see a variety of bags and packaging marked as compostable.
For eco-friendly shoppers the world over, this can only be a good thing. After all, we all know that single-use plastics are the scourge of the environment, and to be avoided at all costs.
But are many of the items being branded as compostable actually good for the environment? Or is it the case that many of us are using them incorrectly? Perhaps we assume they are home compostable, when the reality is they are only compostable in larger facilities. And do they really harmlessly break down, or is this another example of greenwashing in action?
According to research conducted by packaging platform Sourceful, only 3% of compostable packaging in the U.K. ends up in a proper composting facility.
Instead, it claimed a lack of composting infrastructure means 54% goes to landfill and the remaining 43% gets incinerated.
Post time: Dec-20-2023
