‘Home composting is not an effective or
environmentally beneficial waste processing method for biodegradable or
compostable packaging in the UK’. This is the conclusion of a recent study from UCL,
which is sending ripples across the compostable plastics and packaging
industry.
The study engaged with citizens in the UK to test the
performance of some home compostable materials. The report points to confusion
among the public about labelling, as some of the materials used were labelled
as ‘industrially compostable’ or had no certification at all. As a result, unsurprisingly,
not all of the materials composted in the public’s home composting systems and inevitably
is now causing distrust and apprehension across the whole composting
sector. Several companies have already
chosen to move away from compostable materials, such as Abel and Cole opting to
remove compostable packaging in their fruit and veg boxes. Even the UK
environment minister says that government support is better suited to recycling
or reusable plastics instead of compostable.
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