Leafy
18 May 2026
The short answer
Only put a compostable bag in home compost if it is clearly labelled home-compostable and your compost setup is healthy enough to do the job.
14:02Translation: compostable is not a permission slip for every heap, bin or wormery.
14:03For a wormery, be more cautious. A wormery is a small living system, not the same as a home-compost certification test.
14:04Best rule: home-compostable label for home compost. Product-specific guidance for wormeries.
Home compost
A home compost heap needs balance. Too wet, too cold, too dry, or too packed, and everything slows down.
14:09That is why the label matters. Commercial-compostable products usually need hotter managed sites. Home-compostable products are tested for cooler home conditions.
14:10Also: landfill is not composting. General waste is not composting. A sad forgotten bag under the sink is not composting.
14:11Wormeries
Wormeries are brilliant for many kitchen scraps, but they are not a general packaging disposal route.
14:16Worms are fussy colleagues. They prefer good food scraps, steady conditions and no surprise experiments.
14:17If a bag brand gives specific wormery guidance, follow that. If it does not, use a normal compost bin or your council food-waste route instead.
14:18Council food waste
Council collections are their own route. Some accept compostable liners. Some have tighter rules. Local instructions win.
14:23If you use a council caddy, start with fit. Use the council bin checker, then choose from the Generation earth liner range.
14:24Sources and proof
Official references used for the home-compost and wormery guidance in this Field Note:
- Hertfordshire County Council guidance on compostable plastics.
- Royal Horticultural Society worm-composting guidance.
- British certified-materials guidance for users and councils.
- British green-claims guidance for compostable disposal caveats.
- British advertising guidance on compostable claims and disposal instructions.