How long does it take for biodegradable cutlery to decompose?

Plastic utensils are falling out of vogue due to their detrimental environmental impact. Sustainable biodegradable tableware options are now emerging on the market. While biodegradable and compostable utensils are becoming common, they are not all the same. Here’s what you need to know to pick a pair that’s as eco-friendly as it sounds.

With a staggering 40 billion plastic utensils sent to landfills every year, a low-waste alternative is long overdue. Biodegradable utensils and compostable cutlery have become the preferred eco-friendly choice. However, the materials and methods of production can greatly influence their environmental impact.

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Compostable vs. Biodegradable Tableware

Often, the terms 'compostable' and 'biodegradable' are used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings.

Biodegradable utensils are products that will eventually break down in the environment. This term is loosely regulated, which means a 'biodegradable' utensil might take 5 to 10 years—or even longer—to decompose. There’s no guarantee that so-called biodegradable tableware will transform into an environmentally safe form; in some cases, even plastic has been labeled as biodegradable. Given the loose regulations surrounding this term, it is wise to seek utensils certified as compostable.

Compostable utensils decompose completely into pure, healthy soil either in backyard composting environments or in commercial compost facilities. To earn certification as compostable, these products must pass third-party testing and must decompose within a specific timeframe. Most commercial composting facilities require items to break down in 80 days or less, although home composting can take up to two years.

Given their certification, compostable utensils are a more environmentally sound option. However, several factors impact their true ecological benefits, including the environment in which they break down and their raw materials.

Materials Matter

While we recognize that plastic is harmful, what alternatives are better? The materials that constitute your eco-friendly cutlery and compostable utensils significantly affect their environmental impact.

What are Compostable Utensils Made Of?

Compostable utensils are primarily made from bamboo or sugarcane. Each of these plant-based options has different environmental impacts and varying degrees of compostability. Here's what you need to know about both.

Bamboo Cutlery

Bamboo utensils represent one of the cleanest choices for disposable cutlery. Depending on the supplier, these products may consist of 100% bamboo, a renewable and sustainable material. Bamboo grows much faster than trees and can be harvested without killing the plant. It is naturally pest-resistant and is often cultivated without pesticides. Additionally, bamboo utensils can be produced without glues or lacquers, making the manufacturing process chemical-free.

Bamboo is remarkably strong—the strongest woody plant on Earth. Its shorter fibers make it less prone to bending compared to other materials.

Sugarcane

Utensils made from sugarcane, or bagasse, are produced from the leftover stalks of the sugarcane plant. While this is a natural and plant-based material, it has a much larger environmental footprint. Sugarcane is a highly water-intensive crop, requiring land clear-cutting, which can damage soil health and cause erosion. Additionally, sugarcane is not pest-resistant, leading to excessive use of chemical pesticides.

In practical use, sugarcane utensils are prone to bending. They are semi-resistant to heat but may lose their integrity when in contact with hot foods.

Are Compostable Utensils Actually Compostable?

Certified compostable utensils will break down, but only in appropriate environments. Some widely used options, like sugarcane utensils, are only compostable in commercial compost facilities; they will not decompose in home composting environments. Compostable utensils are not recyclable, and if sent to landfills, they may take decades to decompose.

Due to this, many compostable utensils often end up in landfills alongside plastic utensils. Confusion over disposal methods can lead to compostable utensils being mistakenly sent to recycling facilities or dumped in landfills.

For compostable utensils to be a viable eco-friendly choice, proper disposal is essential. Knowing whether your utensils are suitable for commercial or backyard composting is crucial. Here’s how you can determine if your utensils are genuinely compostable:

How to Know If Utensils are Compostable?

A reliable compostable utensil will have certification confirming its compostability. Look for certifications like BPI (Biodegradable Product Institute) or CMA (Compost Manufacturing Alliance). Without third-party certification, it’s challenging to confirm if an item is truly compostable.

Even with certification, it’s vital to distinguish whether your compostable items are for commercial composting or suitable for backyard environments. Be wary of labels that state 'commercially compostable only'; such utensils will not break down in home compost bins and may persist in landfills for years.

So, What are the Best Compostable Utensils?

For many, the best compostable utensils are those made from bamboo. As a natural and renewable resource, bamboo's production process has a low environmental impact. Bamboo utensils are strong, heat-resistant, and water-resistant.

Many bamboo utensils are compostable in both commercial and backyard compost facilities. Since access to commercial composting remains limited for many Americans, opting for bamboo utensils guarantees a better chance of proper disposal.

Additionally, bamboo utensils visibly differ from plastic options. Their woody appearance makes it easier to identify that they should not be recycled, helping to maintain clean recycling streams and ensuring that more bamboo utensils reach composting facilities.

Biodegradable tableware can often be misleading. Proper disposal of compostable utensils can be confusing, but alternatives like compostable bamboo utensils provide a more environmentally friendly choice. When disposed of correctly, the best compostable utensils offer a zero-waste solution for on-the-go dining.

As awareness grows surrounding the single-use plastic crisis, more individuals aim to pursue a zero-waste lifestyle. Grocery stores and takeout service establishments increasingly offer alternatives to traditional plastic cutlery. Many of these new options are branded as compostable and biodegradable by their manufacturers, but do these claims hold true?

Are All Utensils Labeled Compostable Really Compostable and Biodegradable?

The company is the world's most renowned biodegradable cutlery wholesale supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our specialists are highly trained and ready to help you find the products you need.

The simple answer is NO!

While many compostable and biodegradable plastics are derived from naturally occurring polymers, such as starch or cellulose, misconceptions arise regarding their materials. Even if a natural polymer (like corn-derived starch) is utilized, these utensils are manufactured through chemical reactions in a lab, akin to synthetic polymers. Thus, the 'compostable or biodegradable' products marketed are, in essence, still plastics. To put it another way: if it looks and feels like plastic, it is plastic.

Here's the catch: these types of utensils can indeed be composted, but not in your home composting setup. The process requires a commercial-grade composting facility. Here, materials are broken into tiny pieces, heated to high temperatures, and allowed to biodegrade—a specific procedure inaccessible in home settings. According to a recent study by Biocycle, there are only 185 confirmed large-scale food waste composting facilities in the U.S. Statistically, you may not live near one of them.

If Products are 'Certified' Compostable, Are They Really Compostable?

Yes and no.

Certified compostable products have often passed a specific compost test known as the ASTM D Compostable Product Test. This test dictates that products must decompose within a 'reasonably short timeframe.' Specifically, for industrial composting, fragmentation must occur within 84 days, and complete mineralization within 180 days in a well-managed composting facility.

Thus, certified compostable products technically do biodegrade, but most are designed solely for commercial facilities, requiring 6 to 9 months for complete breakdown.

Typically, certified compostable items will have a discreet disclaimer stating: 'Check locally as a commercial composting facility does not exist in many communities - Not suitable for backyard composting.'

Numerous tests on these so-called compostable products in backyard composts have revealed that, after two years, the majority of the utensils remain intact.

What Happens to Most Compostable Utensils?

Composting is a distinct process that does not occur in landfills or aquatic environments. Currently, there are only 185 full-scale food waste composting facilities in the U.S., compared to 3,092 operational landfills.

Thus, unless you throw away your 'compostable' utensils in a specialized waste collection system and reside in one of the few 5% of communities with a commercial food waste composting setup, your utensils will not compost—unless they are simple grain-based products like TwentyFifty!

Moreover, unless they comprise food-based materials that dissolve in water, if they find their way into waterways, they are unlikely to decompose.

(The spoon on the left is a current 'compostable' spoon on the market. The spoon - or the remnants of it - on the right is a TwentyFifty spoon. Both have been immersed in water for 60 days).