Buyers of paper products are asked by their own customers whether a box, plate or cup is compostable or recyclable. The honest answer is usually "it depends", and the claim you print should say on what.
Compostable
A single natural fibre with nothing added, such as an areca leaf plate, breaks down where it is composted. Whether it actually does depends on the end user having a compost bin or a facility that accepts it. Industrial and home composting are different claims: industrial composting runs hotter and is controlled, so a product that passes an industrial standard may not break down at home.
In India, products described as compostable plastic fall under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, which require certification from the Central Pollution Control Board. Paper and leaf products are not plastics, but any plastic coating or component changes that.
Recyclable
Paper and board are widely recycled, but only where a paper stream accepts the item. Food residue, wax, poly coatings and foil laminations all reduce or remove recyclability. "Recyclable" on a pack is only meaningful where the customer can put it in a stream that takes it.
Reusable
Reusable products, such as industrial cores, earn their environmental case through the number of trips they make. A reusable item used once is usually worse than a single-use one.
Evidence to ask your supplier for
- The exact material and any coating, lamination or ink
- Certificates for compostability claims, with the holder, scope and expiry
- Whether the product is accepted by the recycling streams in your markets
- Limitations, stated in writing
A narrower claim with evidence protects your brand better than a broad one without it.
Questions
Is home compostable the same as industrially compostable?
No. Industrial composting runs hotter and under controlled conditions. A product certified for industrial composting may not break down in a home compost heap, so the two claims need separate evidence.
Does a plastic coating stop paper being recyclable?
It can. Poly coatings and foil laminations have to be separated from the fibre, and many local paper streams do not accept them. Check with the recycling stream your customers actually use.
Compostable: what should buyers know?
A single natural fibre with nothing added, such as an areca leaf plate, breaks down where it is composted. Whether it actually does depends on the end user having a compost bin or a facility that accepts it. Industrial and home composting are different claims: industrial composting runs hotter and is controlled, so a product that passes an industrial standard may not break down at home.
Recyclable: what should buyers know?
Paper and board are widely recycled, but only where a paper stream accepts the item. Food residue, wax, poly coatings and foil laminations all reduce or remove recyclability. "Recyclable" on a pack is only meaningful where the customer can put it in a stream that takes it.
Reusable: what should buyers know?
Reusable products, such as industrial cores, earn their environmental case through the number of trips they make. A reusable item used once is usually worse than a single-use one.
Evidence to ask your supplier for: what should buyers know?
The exact material and any coating, lamination or inkCertificates for compostability claims, with the holder, scope and expiryWhether the product is accepted by the recycling streams in your marketsLimitations, stated in writing
What does Bollant Industries make?
Recycled paper and board, industrial paper products such as cores and cones, corrugated and printed packaging, paper tableware, areca and sal leaf tableware, inks, adhesives and laminating films, and a small home and professional care range.
Where is Bollant Industries based?
The head office is in Somajiguda, Hyderabad, and the manufacturing units are in Telangana and Karnataka.
Bollant Industries · Published 2026-09-24
