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How to Recycle Compostable Plastics
Special handlingLast reviewed September 27, 2026
Quick answer
Do not put compostable plastic in conventional plastic recycling. Put it in organics only if your local composting program explicitly accepts that product and certification; otherwise use the local trash route. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Special handling
Compostable plastic cups, bags, cutlery, and liners; designed for specific composting systems rather than standard plastic recycling.
Where to Recycle
- Commercial compost programs that explicitly list compostable plastic
- Home compost only for products certified and approved for that setting
- Trash when no local program accepts the item
How to Prepare
- 1Read the product label and identify whether it claims industrial or home compostability
- 2Check whether your local organics facility accepts compostable plastic, not merely food scraps
- 3Remove conventional-plastic or metal parts if the facility requires it
- 4Keep all compostable plastic out of plastic recycling and retail film bins
- 5Use trash if no approved composting route exists
Special Instructions
A compostable mark is not permission to use every green bin. Many facilities reject compostable serviceware because their processing time or contamination controls cannot handle it. Home compost only if the product explicitly supports home composting and local guidance permits it.
Environmental Impact
In a matching composting system the material can be processed as intended. In conventional recycling it contaminates the plastic stream; in an unsuitable compost system it may remain as fragments.
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 products named by the receiving compost facility
Not Accepted
- Compostable plastic in curbside recycling
- Industrial-compost-only products in a backyard pile
- Items added to organics based solely on a green label
FAQs
Can compostable plastic go with bottles and containers?
No. It is not intended for conventional plastic recycling and can disrupt that stream.
Will it break down in my backyard bin?
Do not assume so. Industrial compostability does not mean a product will break down in a home compost pile.
Related recycling guides
- How to recycle bulky rigid plastic
- How to recycle black plastic containers
- How to recycle PET bottles (#1)
- How to recycle expanded polystyrene (EPS)
- How to recycle HDPE containers (#2)
- How to recycle six-pack rings
- How to recycle PVC pipes (#3)
- How to recycle agricultural film
- Plastic bag recycling
- How to recycle mixed plastics (#7)
Recycle compostable plastics
Search recycling centers by city or ZIP, or explore more plastic materials.