There are some things that are biodegradable that are not recommended for your compost bin or worm bin. This includes meat, dairy, greasy foods, pet/human waste, and sweets. Biodegradable materials will break down into carbon dioxide, water and biomass within a reasonable amount of time in the natural environment. Some biodegradable materials may contain toxins.
Compostable materials are biodegradable, but with an added benefit: when they break down, they release valuable nutrients into the soil, aiding the growth of trees and plants. These products degrade within several months in an industrial composting facility or home composting bin/pile and produce no toxic residues. Products that are labeled ‘compostable’ must enter an industrial composting facility in order for it to fully degrade into organic matter. If your city doesn’t provide industrial composting, you can dispose of compostable products in your backyard or home composter, but they will take longer to break down.
