How to Recycle Compostable Packaging
Certified compostable bags, cups, plates, utensils, pods, and food containers. Their correct route depends on the local composting facility, not only the label on the package.
Quick answer
Compostable packaging does not automatically belong in recycling or organics. Put it in a municipal organics bin only when that program specifically accepts the item or certification; otherwise use the local trash route and keep it out of recycling. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Special handling
How to Prepare
- 1Read the local organics list before using a compostable bag, cup, pod, or utensil as a liner
- 2Keep compostable packaging out of curbside recycling and plastic-film bins
- 3Empty excess food and remove non-compostable lids, stickers, and accessories when the program requires it
- 4Use a plain paper bag or approved liner if the local program does not accept compostable plastic
- 5Use trash when no local facility names the product as accepted
Where to Recycle
- Municipal organics programs that list the item
- Commercial composting facilities with a published acceptance list
- Household trash when no approved composting route exists
Special Instructions
Compostable products need the right time, heat, moisture, and processing conditions. A backyard pile usually cannot process them, and many commercial facilities reject them because they look like conventional plastic or do not break down within the facility's cycle. Certification alone does not override a local acceptance list.
Environmental Impact
A compostable package can avoid contamination only when it reaches a facility designed to process it. In the wrong stream it can contaminate plastic recycling or leave fragments in finished compost, so the local route matters more than the marketing claim.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
What’s Accepted
Accepted
- Certified compostable packaging explicitly listed by the local organics program
- Food-soiled paper packaging accepted by the local compost program
- Paper bags where the program allows them as liners
Not Accepted
- Compostable plastic in ordinary recycling carts
- Compostable packaging in backyard piles unless the program specifically says it works there
- Products accepted only by a commercial facility when the household program does not use that facility
- Unlabeled or mixed packaging placed in organics by assumption
FAQs
Can compostable plastic go in the recycling bin?
No. Keep it out of recycling unless the local program specifically names that product and route. Most compostable plastic looks like ordinary plastic but does not belong in standard plastic recycling.
Can I put compostable packaging in my backyard compost?
Usually no. Backyard piles do not reliably provide the processing conditions needed for compostable plastic. Check the product and your local program before adding it.
What should I do when the label says compostable but my city does not accept it?
Use the local trash route and keep the package out of recycling and organics. The municipal facility's acceptance list controls the disposal decision.
Related recycling guides
Recycle compostable packaging
Search recycling centers by city or ZIP, or explore more organic waste materials.