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BioPak Compost Service

Join the compost revolution!

We are thrilled to officially launch the BioPak Compost Service to organically recycle food and compostable packaging of our customers - wahoo!

As you might know, the importance of composting has grown significantly in the past decade. Media attention, non-profits and popular bloggers have raised consumer awareness of humanity’s excessive consumption of plastic packaging and its impact on the ecosystems of this world. To protect the environment, BioPak has been taking action to provide innovative alternatives to single use disposable packaging since 2006. 

Now it is time to seek composting solutions for food scraps along with the packaging to ensure our waste to land is reduced and the associated methane emissions eliminated which equates to a decrease in overall pollution.

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Compost reduces greenhouse gases

When food waste goes to landfills, it cannot decay efficiently and produces methane, a greenhouse gas. Composting these organic materials that have been diverted from landfills reduces the emission of methane into the environment. The large amount of methane gas in our atmosphere is a known contributor to global warming.

Composting improves soil quality

Composting is known to regenerate poor soil by encouraging the production of beneficial micro-organisms (mainly bacteria and fungi), which then break down organic matter to create humus. Humus helps retain moisture and naturally increases the nutrient content in soil. As a result, food grown in composted soil has shown to contain more nutrients and be more beneficial to eat.

Composting saves you money

Save $$$

Composting your waste costs less than sending it to landfill.

By using organics recycling you save on the landfill levy!

How does it work?

A green compost bin will be provided to take care of your organic waste, from fruit and vegetable peels to egg shells, tea bags, processed foods and of course our wide range of BioPak compostable products.

ORG will then come and collect your bin weekly or more frequently if sufficient volume is available and transport it to a compost facility where waste is processed into compost over the next 8 weeks.

The high nitrogen content from the food scraps makes compost even more nutritious for the soil which is great news, as it creates a healthy base for trees and plants to grow bigger, faster, stronger. This is a more sustainable waste management solution which results in more positive, long term environmental outcomes for the community and ecosystems.

Why is composting important?

We are committed to reducing the impact of our products on the environment and are dedicated to increasing their recovery.

While there is some recycling and composting of foodservice packaging already taking place, it is too little. Since we are all responsible for generating waste, we encourage businesses to be part of this world-wide movement and participate in helping to reduce our carbon footprint and greenhouse emissions. If you are one of customers, you have already taken the first step in reducing your environmental impact of your business by purchasing BioPak products. Take the next step now: compost your waste, don’t let it end up in landfill and work towards a truly circular economy with us.

Why BioPak?

At BioPak, we see our clients as partners, our exceptional customer care has earned us reputation for being the best in the industry. It’s our job to make your life easier and your business more sustainable.

Our composting service pricing is highly competitive and we also provide the promotional and educational material to communicate your course of action and its benefits to the wider community.

Book your first compost collection today: fill out the form above, send us an email to compost@biopak.com.au or call us on 02 8060 9000 for more information.

Commercial vs home composts

A commercial compost facility optimises the process to ensure rapid biodegradation of organic material. There are many types of commercial composts, they all optimise each step of the decomposition process by controlling conditions like shredding material to the same size or controlling the temperature and oxygen levels. These measures ensure a rapid biodegradation of the organic material to a high quality, toxic-free compost.

Home composts produce the same quality compost at the end of the process but they may not maintain the ideal conditions required for composting certain products such as our PLA bioplastic products which require sustained temperatures of 55°C for 10 days to break the molecular bonds. Home compost aren't good for meat, fish or dairy either as they will smell and/or attract vermin.

Certification matters

All our compostable products are certified compostable to either Australian AS4736 or European EN13432 standards. They are independently tested and verified to completely biodegrade within 120 days in a commercial compost facility, the end product is a non-toxic, nutrient rich humus/compost.

The term biodegradable is often used by unscrupulous companies to imply that their products have an environmental benefit. Technically everything on this planet is biodegradable given sufficient time. Unlike compostable products, there are no defined standards or timeframes required when making these claims. for what is and isn’t considered biodegradable. 

If you see claims that a product is biodegradable without a compostable certification – proceed with caution. Read more.

Composting infrastructure

We are pleased to see the number of commercial compost facilities rapidly increasing throughout Australia and New Zealand. They range from large scale tunnel composting facilities to high speed in-vessel compost machines to worm farms. Many different types accept compostable packaging.

Compostable packaging will replace conventional plastic packaging for foodservice applications. We cannot continue with the current status quo. The compost infrastructure in Australia will eventually meet the obvious demand and in the future when we enjoy a delicious meal served in compostable packaging we will look back and wonder why it took so long to solve such a simple problem.

Commercial composting

Commercial composting facilities ensure ideal composting conditions to minimize the time to completely biodegrade organic waste. Bioplastics and compostable foodservice products will biodegrade within 120 days in a compost environment that maintains a temperature of 55ºC for the first 10 days and has a humidity level of 80%. Contact us to work out the best disposal solutions for your compostable packaging – 1300 246 725 | compost@biopak.com.au  – alternatively contact our industry partners directly using the map below.

read more about composting (PDF)

Articles

23rd of November 2017

Would you like landfill with that? Australia's coffee obsession comes at a cost

Let's face it: Australians are big coffee drinkers. In less than a generation, we have moved from a nation of sedate tea drinkers to a nation of coffee obsessives. We now judge our cities on just how good the coffee is. Or how many baristas they have.

17th of October 2017

Currumbin RSL composts 100% of their organic waste with Phoenix Power Recyclers

Currumbin RSL in South East Queensland has a mission to make a difference by lowering their carbon footprint. Since 2009 they have made a marked reduction in their waste, water and energy use.

They have many initiatives in place to do this, including a commitment to purchasing compostable packaging which, along with their organic food waste from various venues in the club can be composted in their BiobiN®, ready to be made into nutrient rich compost by Phoenix Power Recyclers.

07th of July 2017

BioPak's position on compostable packaging

Compostable packaging will replace conventional plastic packaging for foodservice applications. We cannot continue with the current status quo. The compost infrastructure in Australia will eventually meet the obvious demand and in the future when we enjoy a delicious meal served in compostable packaging we will look back and wonder why it took so long to solve such a simple problem.

07th of July 2017

COMPOSTABLE CUPS ARE COMPOSTABLE AND RECYCLABLE!

BioPak would like to set the record straight – compostable packaging isn’t some fanciful idea we dreamed up in isolation to annoy the waste industry, as suggested by a recent article in the Age. It is part of a world-wide movement to reduce waste to landfill.

And contrary to attention grabbing headlines, our BioCups are recyclable in the paper recycling of many councils and compostable at many commercial facilities across Australia.

Are paper cups recyclable?

Our paper BioCups are coated with a plant-based bioplastic and they are recyclable in many areas throughout Australia – see a full list of locations below. 

There is a lot of confusion about whether paper cups are recyclable or not and many claims in the media that no paper cups are recycled in Australia but they are simply not true. The bioplastic lining on a BioCup actually dissolves during the repulping process and is easier to recycle compared to PE plastic coated cups. This fact was recently verified by Planet Ark and The Australian Packaging Covenant.

Some recyclers say they will not accept paper cups as they are unable to separate the plastic from the paper fibres, yet these very same companies accept paper milk and juice cartons which are made from the same components as coffee cups – plastic coated paper board.

 

Is bioplastic recyclable?

Technically, PLA bioplastics can be recycled, but they currently represent only a small fraction of the plastic waste stream so it's not yet commercially viable to do so. The fact that no recycling facilities currently accept PLA does not mean that this material should not be used. Rather we should persevere and educate business owners and consumers on the benefits and help grow and support the recycling infrastructure.

Bioplastics do not contaminate existing plastic recycling waste streams. Material recycling facilities use electronic equipment to identify and separate multiple types of plastics. This technology can easily identify and separate PLA bioplastics from conventional plastics.

Is sugarcane pulp recyclable?

Our sugarcane products can be recycled along with the mainstream paper and cardboard recycling if not contaminated with too much food residue.

Sugarcane pulp is a more sustainable and healthier material for both humans and the planet compared to Styrofoam and plastic. Our sugarcane pulp products will biodegrade in both a compost environment and worm farm – returning valuable nutrients back into the soil.

Paper cup recyclers

There is a lot of confusion in this area from industry and the consumer alike. We have compiled a list of all councils in Australia who accept paper cups in their paper recycling stream. Contact us to work out the best disposal solutions for your compostable packaging – 1300 246 725 | sales@biopak.com.au

NSW
  • Armidale Dumareq Council
  • Byron Shire Council
  • Gosford City Council
  • Lismore City Council
  • Moree Plains Shire Council
  • Murrumbidgee Shire Council
  • Port Stephens Council
  • Shellharbour City Council
  • Snowy River Shire
  • Tamworth Regional Council
  • Tenterfield Shire Council
  • Tumbarumba Shire
  • Wyong Shire Council
ACT
  • All ACT Councils
WA
  • Cambridge Town
  • City of Bunbury
  • City of Busselton
  • City of Cockburn
  • Manjimup Shire
  • Perth City
QLD
  • Brisbane City Council
  • Lock Valley Regional Council
  • Scenic Rim Regional Council
  • Southern Downs Regional Council
  • Whitsunday Regional Council
Victoria
  • Cardina Shire
  • City of Ballarat
  • Greater Bendigo City Council
  • Nillumbik Shire Council
  • Warrnambool City Council
  • Wyndham City Council
SA
  • Adelaide Hills Council
  • Alexandria Council
  • Barossa Council
  • City of Mount Gambier
  • City of Onkaparinga
  • City of Playford
  • City of Port Adelaide Enfield
  • City of Salisbury
  • City of Unley
  • City of Victor Harbor
  • City of West Torrens
  • District Council of Cleve
  • District Council of Yankalilla
  • Kangaroo Island Council
  • Town of Gawler
read more about recycling (PDF)

Articles

03rd of December 2017

MEDIA RELEASE: NEW RESEARCH CONFIRMS BIOPAK COFFEE CUPS ARE RECYCLABLE

BioPak’s ground-breaking disposable coffee cups are recyclable, especially when compared to other disposable packaging, including milk cartons, according to new independent research.

The Chief Executive Officer of BioPak, Gary Smith, said that contrary to some of the misinformation in the public space, research commissioned by the company had confirmed that its disposable cups could be recycled commercially.

23rd of November 2017

Would you like landfill with that? Australia's coffee obsession comes at a cost

Let's face it: Australians are big coffee drinkers. In less than a generation, we have moved from a nation of sedate tea drinkers to a nation of coffee obsessives. We now judge our cities on just how good the coffee is. Or how many baristas they have.

07th of July 2017

COMPOSTABLE CUPS ARE COMPOSTABLE AND RECYCLABLE!

BioPak would like to set the record straight – compostable packaging isn’t some fanciful idea we dreamed up in isolation to annoy the waste industry, as suggested by a recent article in the Age. It is part of a world-wide movement to reduce waste to landfill.

And contrary to attention grabbing headlines, our BioCups are recyclable in the paper recycling of many councils and compostable at many commercial facilities across Australia.

13th of June 2017

Why are BioCups the Better Choice?

The War on Waste TV series highlighted how few coffee cups are currently being recycled in Australia. There has been a big drive to switch to reusable cups and we applaud the initiative. It’s always best to reuse whenever possible.

Single use disposables do have a place and banning them is not a solution. An industry adoption of better design principles that consider the entire environmental and social impact of a product throughout its lifecycle is the answer.

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