CNN reports: “A new study conducted in the UK found that 60% of products labeled as compostable do not fully break down in home compost.” And unlike conventional plastics, these alternatives are largely unregulated, despite their advertised benefits.” (The story is here)
I found this out years ago in my home kitchen-compost pile; a half-dozen “compostable” bags just lay there amid the coffee grounds and vegetable bits. They would (probably) actually break down under perfect combinations of heat, moisture, acidity, etc., that may or may not exist in commercial composting facilities, but in the reality of home composting they were indistinguishable from ordinary plastic.
It’s not quite a scam, but it’s so close to a scam that I don’t mind calling it scam-like.