WorldCentric® products are designed to be composted at commercial composting facilities. These facilities grind the material, turn the compost piles, and monitor conditions to create high temperatures. This reduces the amount of time it takes for products to break down and reduces methane emissions.
Compostable products break down at different rates, depending on the material they are made from and its thickness, as well as the composting conditions. Home composting rates are slower and can vary widely depending on how frequently the pile is turned over, the moisture and material content, and the temperature.
Product |
Home Composting |
Commercial Composting |
Compostable (PLA) cold cups, deli containers, clamshells, straws, etc. |
Not recommended |
2-3 months |
Compostable (PLA) utensils |
Not recommended |
2-4 months |
Compostable (PLA) food scraps bags and kitchen bags |
Up to one year |
2-3 months |
Fiber plates, take-out containers, bowls, cups and trays |
Not recommended |
2-3 months |
Paper hot cups and bowls |
Not recommended |
2-3 months |
Composting utensils at home is not recommended because of their thickness and strength. Similarly, compostable plastics made from Ingeo PLA are not recommended for home composting.
There are several international organizations that have established standards and testing methods for compostability:
These standards specify the criteria for biodegradation, disintegration and eco-toxicity for a plastic to be called compostable.
Many of our products are certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), which uses the ASTM standards to test that products break down quickly and safely. Our compostable bags are also TÜV AUSTRIA certified.
To learn more about our compostability certifications, visit our certifications page.
Read more on Earth Matters about the circular economy of compostable products. For a template letter advocating for commercial composting in your area, click here.
Tags: Compostable Materials
Written by
World Centric
Read time
3 minutes
Published on
Feb 28, 2019
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