Compostable Cups, Plates & Utensils Garbage Bin Don't Compost Them at Home Bioplastic doesn’t belong in your home compost pile, regardless of whether it’s biodegradable or compostable. Utensils made from bioplastic can withstand heat and liquids, so they won’t break down fully — they need to be processed by an industrial facility. Ways to Reduce Pack Reusable Utensils Pack reusable utensils for on-the-go meals. Metal utensils are reusable and more easily recycled than compostable or plastic utensils, which are single use. To-Go Ware Reduce plastic waste by picking up a pair of To-Go utensils, which are made out of bamboo. Visit their online shop. Did You Know? Compostable Utensils: Not the Most Eco-Friendly of Them All? Out of all types of utensils — compostable, plastic and reusable — compostables are advertised as being the most eco-friendly. However, reusable utensils are still the front-runner because they are easily recycled and not single-use. There’s a good chance that compostable items will end up in a landfill due to the absence of compost collection services in many places. California Says No to Misleading Labeling In 2008, California’s laws set out to help consumers feel more confident about bioplastics. State law prohibited the sale of food and beverage containers that were only biodegradable, degradable or decomposable, because those types of bioplastics are not always compostable. Now, if an item with any of those labels is distributed in California, it is also compostable.