These are all great for the environment, right? Essentially interchangeable?
Just kidding. They are quite different!
Today, I’d like to walk through the difference between these terms, and hopefully, shed some light on what each one actually means and how we can be better conscious consumers when it comes to labeling and marketing!

Compostable

This is pretty much the gold standard of what you want to look for in products. Are they in “compostable” packaging. Compostable means that the item is made of organic matter and will completely degrade (in the right environment- more on that in a sec) within 90 days. That’s right. You toss it, and within 3 months there’s basically no trace the item ever existed and no remaining toxic residue. It turns into some great nutrient rich substance that can be used like fertilizer. Awesome right? I agree. These are a fave of The Refilleri.
Then what’s the right environment? Good question. These items will not degrade on their own into lovely, rich fertilizer if you throw them in the trash. They need oxygen, bacteria, and other goodies to break down which are not available if the item goes into a trash bag or landfill, so they will continue to exist for a long time. Rather, they have to be placed in a compost bin with other organic materials. If you live in an area with space, having your own compost pile/bin at home is a great option. For those of us in a more urban environment, look for a company that provides composting pickup service. I have used one in Chicago for many years, and can’t say enough good things. (Check out some of the local companies offering this service below!)

Biodegradable

Isn’t this the same thing? Well….no…not exactly. And get ready, because I am about to blow your mind- ALL things in the world are technically biodegradable. Yes that’s right. Literally everything. BUT, and this is a big one- the differentiator is how LONG it takes for something to biodegrade. So yes, that plastic water bottle you may drink out of sometimes will break down in about 450 years.
A lot of products that get this label are not that dramatic. But the term “biodegradable” is unregulated, whereas Compostable must meet a certain set of requirements. So the main difference is something that is “biodegradable” will break down in an undetermined amount of time; could be 8 months, or it could be much more than that. Also many of these items cannot be composted in your home composting facility, and may instead require commercial composting. Basically, be careful when you see this label on a product, as it doesn’t necessarily mean you can toss it in your compost bin.

To sum up- Check labels carefully! All things that are compostable are biodegradable, but not all biodegradable things are compostable.

Recyclable

I ordered these from most to least favorite. And yes, you may be asking yourself, what’s wrong with recycling? Recycling is great! It takes things and makes them into something reused and new again!
That’s not wrong…..Recycling can do all those things. However- and here’s the big kicker with recycling – Does it actually get recycled? If you live in in a major metropolitan area in the USA, the odds are low. In Chicago specifically, our rates are below 10%. That’s right- less than 10% of what you put in the recycling bin gets recycled. Most of it is thrown away. If you are like me, you will find this news devastating. For years, I was an avid recycler, to the point of being a little nuts about it (ask my husband). When I discovered most of my efforts were for nothing, it was a major blow. This is part of the reason I knew I needed to start the Refilleri. To offer other options as an alternative to recycling.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some awesome companies out there offering their own recycling or reuse programs, which I fully applaud! And if you can take advantage of these, definitely do! (Terracycle is a great one to check out)

To Sum up…..

You may be sitting there thinking “this is super confusing”.

Yes.

It can be. And unfortunately, for a lot of companies, that works to their advantage. They can label their products in a way that makes it seem like they are offering sustainable options, but it may not be completely true. (More on this coming in a blog post soon as well.)

The great thing about The Refilleri is (well everything is great about The Refilleri, obviously) we do all this research for you. You don’t have to worry about products in our store being anything other than what we advertise. Everything is closed loop, compostable, or indefinitely reuseable.

Be sure to come check us out in June & July 2022 in the West Town Chamber Pop-Up spot!