Inside the 90-Day Compost Cycle

"Compostable" is a precise, testable claim — not a vibe. Here is what the 90-day cycle really involves.

What the standard requires

EN 13432, the European benchmark, requires a product to biodegrade at least 90% within six months and to physically disintegrate within three months under industrial composting, leaving no toxic residue.

The cycle, step by step

1. Collection. Used foodware goes into a commercial composting stream — not landfill, where conditions stall breakdown.
2. Disintegration. Heat, moisture and microbes break the material into small fragments within weeks.
3. Biodegradation. Microorganisms convert those fragments into CO2, water and biomass.
4. Maturation. What remains becomes nutrient-rich compost that enriches soil.

The honest caveat

This depends on industrial composting. Home compost heaps are cooler and slower, and landfill is anaerobic — so access to the right facility is what unlocks the benefit. It is the single most important thing buyers can plan for.