The Supermarket Confusion We have all been there. You are standing in the supermarket aisle, looking for a small bin liner for your kitchen caddy. You see boxes labeled "Green," "Eco-Friendly," and "Biodegradable." They all look good, right?

Wrong. The truth is, choosing the wrong bag can contaminate your council’s green waste stream. Today, we are clearing up the confusion between "Biodegradable" and "Compostable" so you can choose the right Small bin liner for your home.

1. What Does "Biodegradable" Actually Mean? Here is the trap: "Biodegradable" simply means a material will break down eventually. But here is the catch—there is no time limit. A plastic bottle is technically biodegradable, but it might take 500 years! Many "biodegradable" plastic bags merely break down into tiny invisible pieces called microplastics. These remain in the soil forever, polluting our food chain. If you put these in your FOGO Bin Liners, they will likely be rejected by the recycling facility.

2. What Does "Compostable" Mean? (The Gold Standard) "Compostable" is a much stricter term. For a bag to be certified compostable, it must:

  • Break down completely within a specific timeframe (usually 90 days).

  • Leave strictly zero toxic residue.

  • Turn into nutrient-rich compost (plant food).

Think of it this way: An apple core is compostable. A plastic wrapper is just degradable. If you want to use Green bin bags Council services, you must use certified compostable bags, not just biodegradable ones.

3. Beware of Greenwashing Don't be fooled by the color green. Many companies dye their plastic bags green to make them look eco-friendly. Some even use terms like "Oxo-degradable," which are just plastics with additives that make them shatter faster. These are terrible for the environment and should never be used as a small bin liner for food scraps.

4. How to Spot the Real Deal (Check the Logo) So, how do you know if your small bin liner is safe for the worms? Ignore the marketing text and look for the Seedling Logo. In Australia, look for these two codes:

  • AS 4736 (Industrial Compostable): This is required for most Green bin bags Council collections and FOGO bins.

  • AS 5810 (Home Compostable): This means it will break down in your backyard compost heap.

The CompoStar Solution At CompoStar, we don't play word games. All our bags—from our 8L Small bin liner to our 120L wheelie bin bags—are strictly certified AS 4736. Our Leak-Proof paper bags are designed to break down naturally, returning nutrients to the earth without leaving a trace of plastic.

Make the Switch Next time you shop, check the label. If it doesn't have the certification code, leave it on the shelf. Choose CompoStar for a truly plastic-free, council-compliant solution.

👉 [Shop Our All Compostable Bags: Paper, Bin Liners & Pet Waste Here] 

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