At this point, the shortcomings and failures of recycling are evident. Consumers are often unsure about what is actually recyclable and arenât the most diligent in collecting and sorting trash accepted by curbside services.
To be more sustainable, or at least sound like it, manufacturers are introducing supposedly compostable packaging, including materials labeled as âhome compostable.â It turns out consumers are just as confounded by compostable labeling. Whatâs worse, many compostable products donât live up to the promises of home compostability.
Researchers from University College London conducted a two-year study published in the journal Frontiers, which included a 5-minute online survey, along with reporting on their experiments with home composting. In total, 9,701 citizens participated, with 1,648 folks taking part in the home composting investigation. The study found that even with guidance from scientists, participants included items marked as industrially compostable only, biodegradable, or with no apparent labeling, leading researchers to conclude that consumer confusion over labeling exists.
