Packaging with Purpose - Composting and Biodegradability

In India, stories are often woven around chai, shared on a rainy evening, or narrated by elders during weddings and family celebrations. Every story carries a lesson, a deeper meaning, a way of connecting us to the world. At Namkeen Queens, we tell a story, too—not just through our snacks but through the packaging that holds them. 

Our packaging is more than a functional tool for containing and marketing our snacks. It's a reflection of our passion, a tribute to Indian culture and culinary traditions, and a demonstration of our commitment to sustainability. By considering the entire lifecycle of our packaging—from production to disposal—we strive to balance customer expectations, environmental impacts, and business goals. Research indicates that over 80% of a product's environmental impact is determined during the design phase, underscoring the importance of thoughtful packaging choices.

Packaging is vital for the food supply as it contains and protects the quality, ensuring safety and extending the shelf life of food products. It's a mixture of containment, protection, convenience, communication, and sustainability. In a previous article -  Packaging with Purpose - Recycling for the next cycle of life , we explored two paths for packaging's post-use life: Recycling and Material Recovery and Composting and Biodegradability. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the latter—returning materials to the earth as nutrients, thereby completing their natural lifecycle.

Composting vs. Biodegradability

While the terms "compostable" and "biodegradable" are often used interchangeably, they represent distinct concepts. Compostable materials are a specific subset of biodegradable materials. While all compostable items are biodegradable, not all biodegradable items are compostable. 

Compostable materials not only break down but also enrich the soil as nutrient-rich compost—a more eco-friendly option for packaging. Biodegradable materials break down naturally into smaller components such as water, carbon dioxide, and biomass with the help of microorganisms like bacteria and fungi. In essence, given enough time, every material will biodegrade at some point. No standard is available for biodegradable materials; thus, no testing is available to ensure the materials are toxins-free. 

Figure 1: Compostability as a subset of Biodegradability

Compostable packaging

Compostable packaging supports the circular economy by completing a natural cycle: it breaks down into nutrient-rich compost that re-integrates with the environment. Beyond sustainable disposal, compostable materials can revitalize ecosystems, making them an attractive option for businesses seeking regenerative and eco-friendly packaging.

Compostable materials degrade under specific conditions:

• Home Compostable- Materials biodegrade at 68–86°F and with naturally produced moisture.
• Industrial Compostable - Materials require controlled environments with temperatures exceeding 136°F for effective breakdown.

In the US, products labeled as compostable must be tested to meet industrial composting standards ASTM D6400 and ASTM D6868. 

• ASTM D6400 is an industrial standard for a single material or component, for example, a compostable spoon
• ASTM D6868 is for a product that includes coatings and additives such as laminated film coating. ASTM D6868 ensures that all the substances within the material or product are safely compostable.

These standards mean that the compostable materials biodegrade and disintegrate within 90 days and leave no harmful residue. A seed germination trial is part of the testing to ensure that the compost produced is not detrimental to plant life. 

 EN13432 and EN14995 are the European equivalents of the ASTM standards. These industrial standards are the core pillars that define the regulations for compostable packaging materials. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) states that all items marketed as biodegradable must break down in a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal - about one year.

Unfortunately, there is no international or a US standard for home composting materials. As for now, we rely on our supplier's field testing and their assurance that the materials used are suitable for home composting. We are also testing the compostable materials samples we received from our suppliers to validate their findings.  

Figure 2: Kraft paper & Cello Bags

Our packaging choices: Kraft Paper & Cellophane Bag

Paper and cardboard are ideal packaging materials when it comes to sustainability due to the renewable origins of cellulose fibers, high rigidity, and lightweight. However, paper and cardboard lack the intrinsic properties to protect the quality of packaged food and extend their shelf life. 

In our initial research, we considered water-barrier-coated paper as an alternative to conventional laminated plastic films. These coatings, made with aqueous polymer dispersions containing less than 6% plastic, offer protection against moisture, gas, and aroma loss. While they are generally recyclable, their recyclability depends on the ratio of paper to non-paper materials and regulations vary by countries and regions. There are also uncertainties regarding their standardized properties and biodegradability.

Given these challenges, we chose uncoated kraft paper and cellophane bags, which are compostable and biodegradable, as part of our packaging solution.

Kraft paper

In our article on Recyclability and Material Recovery, we discussed about kraft paper's versatility as it can be both recycled and composted. In home composting, uncoated kraft paper serves as a "brown" material—carbon-rich and dry—to complement "green" nitrogen-rich materials like food scraps.

To ensure the kraft paper we use is suitable for home composting, we:

• Use soy-based ink.
• Avoid adhesives or non-compostable additives.
• Opt for folding and cutting techniques to maintain full compostability.

Cellophane bags (Cello bags)

Cellophane, a cellulose-based film invented in 1900, is a non-plastic, eco-friendly alternative for packaging dry food products. It's compostable and made from FSC-certified wood cellulose fibers. Despite resembling plastic, it's free from petroleum, BPA, GMOs, and animal products. One of the common perceptions of cello bags is that they are petroleum-based plastic due to their physical outlook. However, our supplier (Elevate Packaging - link to the website) ensures that each bag is printed with a green banner that reads 'COMPOSTABLE' at the back. 

Our cellophane bags meet:

• FDA requirements for direct food contact.
• ASTM D6400 and EN 13432 composting standards.

These bags degrade in both industrial and home composting environments. While they are less durable for long-term storage, they align perfectly with our fresh, made-to-order, and refill-reuse snack packaging approach. 

For composting, we encourage our customers to check their local composting program to ensure that the bags are formally accepted. Thank you to our cello bags supplier, Elevate Packaging, who share two compost collections as a start:

• Compost Now! 
• WasteNot Compost 

Carving the Course for Composting & Biodegradability

Compostable and biodegradable materials are essential for reducing waste, lowering pollution, and supporting a circular economy. At Namkeen Queens, our journey toward sustainable packaging is an ongoing process. We continue to explore, test, and refine our approach to ensure our packaging minimizes environmental impact while maintaining quality and functionality.

Like many others who have started their sustainable journey, we realized that this is a continuous process and constant effort to improve the state of our packaging system. 

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Let's do this together, one snack at a time!