Knowing the difference between biodegradable vs compostable items is an important part of reducing your carbon footprint. Yes, they are two entirely different things!
No, but I’ll make it simple! Biodegradable items break down into organic elements, carbon dioxide, and water vapor by organisms like bacteria and fungi through a process called biodegradation.
— Cork yoga mats, corkboards, cork everything! — Bamboo straws, bamboo textiles, bamboo toothbrushes, etc. — Human Waste — Biodegradable Consumables — Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNFs)
Compostable items and packaging break down into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass at the same rate as natural materials. When properly collected and processed, we can use these materials for fertilizers that improve soil quality.
— Kitchen Scraps: Veggie peels, fruit cores, coffee grounds, etc. — Paper: Scrap paper, junk mail, newspapers, you name it. — Cardboard — Garden Clippings: Weeds, dried leaves, small twigs, etc. — Eggshells: not the whole egg
No, biodegradable and compostable products are not recyclable and can contaminate or disrupt the recycling system if intermixed with non-compostable products.