Question 1

Are Biobags certified?

Accepted Answer

Yes. 
All Biobag bags, sacks, and films are certified compostable and biodegradable according to the European Standard EN 13432, the US Standard ASTM D6400 and the Australian Standard AS473.
Biobag holds compostable and biodegradable certificates issued by several certification institutions like TÜV AUSTRIA (OK Compost), BPI (USA).

Question 2

What are Biobags made of?

Accepted Answer

Mater-Bi®.
Mater-Bi® is a raw material created by combining starch and vegetable oil derivatives with compostable and biodegradable polymers. Corn and sugar beets are among the most commonly used plants for producing the raw materials used in bioplastic. Mater-Bi® is fully certified by third parties in accordance with the main European and international standards. Read more about Mater-Bi® here

Question 3

How do certified compostable bags differ from conventional plastic bags in terms of biodegradability?

Accepted Answer

It’s a little technical and has to do with the material the bags have been made of. 
Conventional plastic bags are commonly made from materials like polyethylene that are non-biodegradable, taking hundreds of years to break down and causing significant harm to the environment if they end up there. Conventional plastic will only break down to microplastic fractions, which can enter our food and water systems if it ends up in nature. 
Certified compostable bags,  made from Mater-Bi® are designed to break down in controlled composting environments. Under the right conditions, where microorganisms, humidity, and heat are present, the material is converted into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass (humus). Depending on the certification, this usually happens within 3–6 months. They leave no persistent or harmful residues behind. That’s the key difference: our bags are certified compostable and will break down in a composting environment and conventional plastic isn’t. Technically, compostable bags have a different chemical structure that is recognised as food, by naturally occurring microorganisms that can be broken down by their enzymes.

Question 4

Is there a risk that the bags could cause microplastics pollution?

Accepted Answer

No.
Biobags are certified fully compostable and biodegradable according to the European standard EN 13432. This certification ensures that the material breaks down without releasing toxic substances or heavy metals above regulated limits. It also confirms that the material does not interfere with the composting process. Biobags meet all these requirements and break down into water, carbon dioxide, and compost without leaving behind persistent microplastics.

Question 5

What do Biobags actually turn into when they break down?

Accepted Answer

Under the conditions specified by their certification, microorganisms break certified compostable Biobags down into water, carbon dioxide and biomass. Unlike conventional plastic, they do not leave persistent microplastics behind.

Question 6

Why are certifications important?

Accepted Answer

Certifications provide independent confirmation that a product meets defined requirements for compostability or biodegradation in a specific environment. Depending on the certification, this may be industrial composting, home composting or biodegradation in soil. Each environment has different conditions, including temperature, moisture, microorganisms and processing time.
For consumers, certification logos provide clear information about where and how a product is designed to break down. They confirm that the product has been independently assessed against criteria such as biodegradation, disintegration and compost quality. Under the conditions specified by its certification, the material is converted into water, carbon dioxide and biomass without leaving persistent microplastics behind.

Question 7

Do Biobags contain conventional plastic?

Accepted Answer

No.
Biobag compostable bags are made from Mater-Bi®, a family of bioplastics developed using technologies based on starches, vegetable oils and their combinations. They are not made from conventional non-biodegradable plastics such as polyethylene.
The confusion often comes from the word “plastic.” Technically, plastic describes a material containing polymers that can be shaped into different forms. This means compostable materials such as Mater-Bi® are also classified as plastics.
The important difference is how the materials behave at the end of their intended use. Conventional polyethylene does not readily biodegrade and can fragment into persistent microplastics. Certified compostable Biobags are designed to biodegrade under the conditions specified by their certification, where they are converted into water, carbon dioxide and biomass without leaving persistent microplastics behind.

Question 8

Can Biobags contaminate the compost that is spread on the fields in agriculture?

Accepted Answer

No.
Certified compostable Biobags are designed to biodegrade under the conditions specified by their certification without leaving persistent microplastics behind. Compostability certification includes requirements for biodegradation, disintegration and compost quality.
If small pieces remain visible after a treatment cycle, they are not the same as persistent fragments from conventional plastic. The Mater-Bi® material remains biodegradable and is designed to continue breaking down rather than persist as microplastics.
Actual processing conditions and treatment times can vary between facilities, so Biobags should always be used in accordance with their certification and the requirements of the local waste system.

Question 9

Under which conditions are the bags compostable and biodegradable?

Accepted Answer

Biobags require the right combination of moisture, warmth, oxygen and microorganisms to biodegrade. The exact conditions depend on the product and whether it is certified for home composting, industrial composting or biodegradation in soil. Always check the certification logo on the product for its intended environment.

Question 10

What is the shelf life of your bags?

Accepted Answer

All our compostable bags are designed not to last forever, that’s part of what makes them work. How long they last in storage depends on conditions, which is why we recommend keeping them in a cool, dry and dark place. Over time, compostable materials naturally become weaker, so there is no exact “best before” date. On average, Biobags have a shelf life of 12–18 months.
To help you monitor this, every Biobag has a production date printed on the bag. It’s shown as week/year (for example, 23/26 means it was produced in week 23 of 2026). This makes it easy to keep track of age and ensure the bags are used within their recommended timeframe.

Question 11

How long and what temperature do the bags have to be exposed to break down?

Accepted Answer

Under industrial composting conditions, Biobags are certified to break down within 180 days at controlled temperatures of around 60-70°C. These conditions are maintained in municipal composting facilities, where heat, airflow, moisture, and microbial activity work together to speed up the biodegradation process.
In practice, many Biobag products, especially those certified OK compost HOME, tend to break down faster in industrial systems, as they are designed to decompose efficiently under elevated temperatures and consistent processing.
For home composting, timing varies. Temperature, humidity, and how the compost is managed all influence the breakdown rate, so giving an exact timeframe isn’t possible. However, in a well-functioning home compost, Biobags generally decompose at a similar pace to organic materials like food scraps and garden waste.

Question 12

What is the difference between compostable and biodegradable?

Accepted Answer

A certified compostable material is biodegradable, but a biodegradable material is not necessarily compostable.
Biodegradable means that microorganisms can break down a material. However, the term alone does not explain how long the process takes, under which conditions it occurs or whether the material meets the additional requirements needed for composting.
Certified compostable products must meet defined requirements for biodegradation, disintegration and compost quality within specified conditions and timeframes. This is independently assessed according to the applicable standard or certification scheme.
That is why Biobag uses specific compostability claims rather than relying on the broader term “biodegradable.” All Biobag bags are independently certified as compostable for their intended composting environment.

Question 13

Is it responsible to use starch from food crops to produce bioplastics?

Accepted Answer

In 2024, approximately 0.624 million hectares were used to grow feedstock for bioplastics. This represented around 0.013 percent of the world’s 4.8 billion hectares of agricultural land. Responsible sourcing nevertheless remains important to avoid deforestation, poor agricultural practices and negative social impacts. The industry is also exploring greater use of agricultural residues, forestry byproducts and other waste materials. Read more about bioplastics and agricultural feedstock here.

How compostable products work

What does compostable mean?

What compostable doesn’t mean

It doesn’t mean you can litter

It doesn’t mean they’re fragile

It doesn’t mean “anywhere”

It doesn’t prove an overall environmental benefit

How compostable bags break down

Compostability you can trust

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