Compostable, degradable, biodegradable and oxodegradable plastics

August 15, 2024

compostable plastics in a home compost bin

Types of plastic and how to dispose of them

Use the summaries below to find out how to dispose of common non-standard plastics in Leicestershire. If you cannot reuse the item, follow the disposal advice shown for each plastic type.

An example of the different symbols used to identify home compostable plastics including; the seedling logo and the OK compost logo.

Home compostable plastics

What to look for:

Look for a Seedling logo or an OK Compost HOME certification mark.

 

Can it be recycled?

No. Home compostable plastics can contaminate recycling.

 

Can it be composted at home?

Yes, if you have a home compost bin.

 

Can it go in a garden waste collection?

No. Home compostable plastics should not be placed in garden waste collections.

 

How to dispose of it:

Home compost it if possible. If you cannot compost it at home, place it in the residual waste bin.

 

Additional information:

Certified home compostable items can break down at different rates, but often break down slowly. You may need to put items through your compost bin more than once. Try not to dispose of large quantities of home compostable plastics in your compost bin at the same time.


Compostable plastics for industrial composting

What to look for:

Look for an OK Compost INDUSTRIAL logo or Seedling certification mark.

 

Can it be recycled?

No. Compostable plastics can contaminate recycling.

 

Can it be composted at home?

No. These plastics are designed for industrial composting facilities, not home compost bins.

 

Can it go in a garden waste collection?

No. Plastics of any type are not accepted in Leicestershire garden waste collections.

 

How to dispose of it:

Place it in the residual waste bin.

 

Additional information:

Industrial compostable plastics are designed to break down in specific conditions found at industrial composting facilities. However, composting facilities cannot easily distinguish between compostable and non-compostable plastics. To avoid contamination, all types of plastic are banned from garden waste collections in Leicestershire.


100% Degradable - example logo

Degradable plastics

What to look for:

There is no widely recognised standard or logo for degradable plastics. The item may include the word “degradable” or use imagery suggesting it is eco-friendly.

 

Can it be recycled?

No. Degradable plastics can contaminate recycling.

 

Can it be composted at home?

No.

 

Can it go in a garden waste collection?

No.

 

How to dispose of it:

Place it in the residual waste bin.

 

Additional information:

Degradable plastics can be made from petrochemicals or from natural materials such as cornstarch. They are designed to break into smaller pieces over time, but this can create microplastics. They should not be placed in recycling or garden waste collections.


Example image of a plastic labeled as 100% oxo-degradable

Oxo-degradable plastics

What to look for:

There is no widely recognised standard or logo for oxo-degradable plastics. Manufacturers may use their own symbols or claims.

 

Can it be recycled?

No. Oxo-degradable plastics can contaminate recycling.

 

Can it be composted at home?

No.

 

Can it go in a garden waste collection?

No.

 

How to dispose of it:

Place it in the residual waste bin.

 

Additional information:

Oxo-degradable plastics are designed to break down in the presence of oxygen. As they break down, they can produce microplastic fragments. These plastics should not be littered, composted or placed in recycling collections.


Biodegradable plastics

What to look for:

There is no single recognised logo for biodegradable plastics. Manufacturers may use their own symbols, claims or trademarks.

 

Can it be recycled?

No. Biodegradable plastics can contaminate recycling.

 

Can it be composted at home?

Only if the item is specifically labelled as home compostable.

 

Can it go in a garden waste collection?

No. Biodegradable plastics should not be placed in garden waste collections in Leicestershire.

 

How to dispose of it:

Place it in the residual waste bin, unless it is clearly marked as home compostable and you can compost it at home.

 

Additional information:

Biodegradable plastics often need specific conditions to break down. If those conditions are not present, they may remain in the environment. Do not assume that biodegradable plastics are suitable for home composting or garden waste collections.


Oxo-biodegradable plastic sample logo

Oxo-biodegradable plastics

What to look for:

There is no single recognised logo. Some logos and claims may suggest that oxo-biodegradable plastics are recyclable, but this is not the case.

 

Can it be recycled?

No. Oxo-biodegradable plastics can contaminate recycling.

 

Can it be composted at home?

Only if the item is specifically labelled as home compostable.

 

Can it go in a garden waste collection?

No.

 

How to dispose of it:

Place it in the residual waste bin, unless it is clearly marked as home compostable and you can compost it at home.

 

Additional information:

Oxo-biodegradable plastics usually break down in two stages. First, they fragment into smaller pieces. These smaller pieces may then break down further if the right microbes and conditions are present. If those conditions are not present, the fragments may remain in the environment.


biobased plastic logo

Bioplastics, biobased plastics and plant-based plastics

What to look for:

There is no single widely recognised logo or certification mark for bioplastics, biobased plastics or plant-based plastics.

 

Can it be recycled?

Possibly. Most plant-based plastics can be recycled, unless they are also marked as being compostable, degradable, oxo-degradable or bio-degradable.

 

Can it be composted at home?

Only if the item is specifically labelled as home compostable.

 

Can it go in a garden waste collection?

No.

 

How to dispose of it:

Place it in the recycling collection unless it is marked as biodegradable, compostable or home compostable. Items marked as biodegradable, compostable or home compostable should go in the residual waste bin, unless they are suitable for home composting.

 

Additional information:

Bioplastics are made fully or partly from non-fossil fuel materials. This does not necessarily mean they are biodegradable or compostable. If the item is not labelled as compostable or biodegradable, treat it like a regular plastic item of the same type.

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