Compostable Packaging Definition
Compostable packaging is packaging designed to break down into compost, together with food or garden waste, within a defined time and without leaving harmful residues. Under EU rules, this usually means industrially compostable: the packaging breaks down under the controlled heat and moisture of a bio-waste treatment facility, not necessarily in a home compost bin. The term is narrower than "biodegradable," which only means that microorganisms will eventually break a material down, with no set time frame or conditions.
Which packaging must be compostable?
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) requires three formats to be compostable from 12 February 2028:
- Permeable tea, coffee and other beverage bags
- Soft single-serve units, such as coffee pads, that are thrown away together with the product
- Sticky labels on fruit and vegetables
These items usually end up in organic waste and are too small or too soiled to recycle. Individual EU countries can add other formats, such as non-metal coffee capsules and lightweight plastic carrier bags, and can require some items to be home compostable. This means requirements can differ by market.
How does a business make its packaging compliant?
- Screen the product range. Identify every product that uses a listed format, and check which extra formats apply in each country you sell in.
- Source certified materials. Ask suppliers for compostability certificates, currently based on the European standard EN 13432. The certificate should cover the finished item, including adhesives, inks and filter material, not just the base material.
- Update the compliance file. Add the certificates to the packaging's technical documentation and EU Declaration of Conformity, which are the documents that prove the packaging meets PPWR.
- Plan the label. The pack must tell consumers to dispose of it with organic waste rather than in the recycling bin. Build this into the artwork early, because PPWR's harmonized labeling rules are still being finalized.
- Record it in product data. Store the compostability status, certificate details and expiry dates as compliance data on the packaging component. Every product that uses the component then inherits the information, and expiring certificates can be flagged.
Can other packaging be sold as compostable?
It can be made from compostable materials, but that doesn't exempt it from PPWR's recyclability rules. Any packaging outside the listed formats, including packaging made from biodegradable plastics, must still be designed for material recycling without disrupting other waste streams. Compostable material counts as a contaminant in plastics recycling, so labeling an unlisted pack "compostable" creates both a compliance risk and a claims risk.
