Biodegradable and compostable bags in Australia

"Biodegradable", "compostable", "home compostable" and "degradable" are printed on bags as if they meant the same thing. They do not. This page explains what each label means, how the Australian compostability standards AS 4736 and AS 5810 are used, what council food and garden organics (FOGO) bins accept, how each state and territory's plastics bans treat bags, what the ACCC expects of environmental claims, and where the National Packaging Targets and the Australasian Recycling Label fit, with links to official Australian sources.

This is a free, non-commercial reference page. It is general information about labels, standards and regulation, not legal or compliance advice. It does not review, recommend or sell any bag, brand, supplier or retailer. Rules differ between states, territories and councils and change over time, so check current details with the official websites linked below and with your own council. This page is not affiliated with any business or government body, and listing is not an endorsement.

The guide

What the labels mean, the two Australian compostability standards, what goes in the green bin, state and territory bans, greenwashing rules and national packaging labels.

Four words that are not interchangeable

"Biodegradable", "degradable", "compostable" and "home compostable" describe different things. Only "compostable" and "home compostable" can be tied to an Australian Standard and a certification scheme. "Biodegradable" and "degradable" on their own say nothing about how long a bag takes to break down, under what conditions, or what it leaves behind. When a bag claims to be better for the environment, the useful question is which of these words it uses and whether a standard number and certification details are printed alongside it.

"Biodegradable" and "degradable"

Sustainability Victoria says "biodegradable" and "degradable" claims refer to packaging that contains chemicals to break it down, warns that "these can end up in the environment and harm wildlife", and directs this packaging to the rubbish bin. South Australia's Which Bin guidance describes biodegradable bags as still plastic and says they belong in general waste, not the green bin. In other words, a bag labelled only "biodegradable" or "degradable" should not be treated as compostable.

Oxo-degradable plastics

Oxo-degradable plastics contain additives that make them break up into smaller pieces. The ACT Government describes them as plastics "which break down into 'microplastics' and don't completely decompose", and lists them, including rubbish bags labelled as degradable, among banned items. South Australia banned oxo-degradable plastic products from 1 March 2022, and Western Australia's Plan for Plastics lists degradable plastics among the items banned from 1 September 2023.

"Compostable" (industrial or commercial)

A compostable bag is designed to break down in a composting process. In Australia, the standard for industrial (commercial) composting is AS 4736-2006. Sustainability Victoria says industrially compostable products "must be composted at an industrial centre" and that compostable plastics cannot go in the recycling bin. Where a council's green organics bin accepts them, that bin's contents go to a commercial composting facility, which is why many councils point to AS 4736.

"Home compostable"

The Australian standard for home composting is AS 5810-2010. South Australia's single-use plastics guidance states that "only AS 5810:2010 certified compostable products are suited to home compost systems." SA's Which Bin guidance adds that products meeting AS 5810 can also go in the green organics bin. A bag certified only to AS 4736 is not certified for a backyard compost heap.

How certification and the logos work

The Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA), an industry association, runs a verification programme for AS 4736 and AS 5810, with products tested by independent accredited laboratories. It says its seedling logo confirms that a product's compostability claims meet AS 4736 certification requirements, and that only products verified through its programme may carry its logos. The Western Australian Government states that the ABA verification programme is currently the only approved route it recognises for certification, and that a certificate must be renewed annually to remain active.

What certification does not promise

The ABA states that "a Certificate of Conformance to AS 4736 and/or AS 5810 does not guarantee that a product will be accepted" by a particular collection or composting service. It also says no European standard is equivalent to AS 4736 or AS 5810. So a bag certified to an Australian standard may still not be accepted in your council's bin, and an overseas compostability mark is not the same as Australian certification.

FOGO and green organics bins

Food organics and garden organics (FOGO) bins collect food scraps with garden waste for composting. Acceptance of bags and caddy liners varies by council. In South Australia, Which Bin says "the only bags that can go in the green bin are certified compostable bags", identified by the AS 4736 seedling logo, and that AS 5810 home compostable products can also go in. Sustainability Victoria says the four-bin rollout is happening gradually and advises checking your council's website. Always check your own council's bin guide before putting any bag in the green bin.

Bag bans in South Australia

South Australia banned lightweight plastic shopping bags in 2009. From 1 September 2024, Replace the Waste SA lists heavyweight plastic film shopping bags over 35 microns, plastic-laminated paper or cardboard shopping bags and some non-woven polypropylene bags as banned, along with plastic barrier bags. AS certified compostable shopping bags are allowed if they are clearly labelled with their certification details as home compostable, industrially compostable or both. Oxo-degradable plastic products have been banned since 1 March 2022.

Bag bans in the other states and territories

NSW: lightweight plastic bags with handles were banned from 1 June 2022, and the NSW EPA says banned items stay banned even if made from biodegradable or compostable plastic or bioplastic. Victoria: the EPA's lightweight bag ban covers bags 35 micrometres thick or less, including degradable, biodegradable and compostable plastic bags. Queensland: plastic film shopping bags must meet thickness, recycled-content and reuse requirements, while compostable bags certified to AS 5810 or AS 4736 are allowed if they meet thickness and reuse tests. Western Australia: plastic shopping bags with handles were banned from 1 July 2022 and produce bags from 1 September 2024, with plant-based plastics covered except for limited exemptions. Tasmania: plastic shopping bags less than 35 microns thick have been banned since 2013, and wider single-use plastics legislation is being developed. ACT: bans include plastic bags over 35 microns, oxo-degradable plastics and bioplastics. Northern Territory: lightweight checkout-style plastic bags, including degradable bags, have been banned since 1 September 2011; the NT Government lists biodegradable or compostable bags among those that can still be used.

Greenwashing and the ACCC

The ACCC says environmental claims "must be truthful and accurate", and defines greenwashing as a business using any claim, or omitting key information, in a way that makes a product look less harmful to the environment than it is. Its guide for business, released in December 2023, sets out eight principles: make accurate and truthful claims, have evidence, don't hide or omit important information, explain any conditions or qualifications, avoid broad and unqualified claims, use clear and easy-to-understand language, make sure visual elements don't give the wrong impression, and be direct and open about sustainability transitions. It advises avoiding vague terms such as "green", "environmentally friendly" and "sustainable", and anyone can report a suspected false or misleading claim to the ACCC.

National Packaging Targets and the Australasian Recycling Label

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) reports on Australia's 2025 National Packaging Targets: 100% of packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable; 70% of plastic packaging recycled or composted; 50% average recycled content across packaging; and phasing out problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging. APCO says that, with the support of Australia's Environment Ministers, the targets will continue beyond 2025. The Australasian Recycling Label (ARL), run by APCO with Planet Ark and PREP Design, gives on-pack instructions for recycling each part of the packaging; APCO states that bioplastics and compostable plastics are not acceptable in soft plastic packaging assessed as recyclable.

Directory

Official Australian sources on plastics bans, compostability, organics bins, environmental claims and packaging labels, instead of a list of suppliers or retailers. Each entry was checked against its own official website.

What is listed. Only government bodies, plus the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation for the national packaging targets and recycling label, whose pages could be fetched and checked are included. Each link goes to that body's own page. The list is not complete and is in no particular order. No brands, suppliers or retailers are listed.

Not an endorsement. Listing is not a recommendation. This page is not affiliated with any organisation below and does not review, rank or recommend bags or businesses. Your local council is the authority on what its own bins accept.

Inclusion in this directory is not an endorsement. Links are to official websites as published at the time of checking.

Questions to ask about a bag

Plain questions worth asking before you buy bags or put one in a bin, and checking against the official pages above and your council's bin guide.

Does the label say compostable, or only biodegradable or degradable?

Only compostable claims can be tied to AS 4736 or AS 5810. A bag labelled only "biodegradable" or "degradable" belongs in general waste according to SA and Victorian guidance.

Which standard is it certified to: AS 4736, AS 5810 or both?

AS 4736 is for industrial composting; AS 5810 is for home composting. A bag certified only to AS 4736 is not certified for a backyard compost heap.

Can the certification be checked?

Look for the certification details on the bag. WA guidance accepts an ABA number, a certificate of conformance or a listing on the ABA website as proof, and says certificates are renewed annually.

Does my council's green or FOGO bin accept this bag?

Acceptance varies by council, and certification does not guarantee acceptance. Check your council's bin guide before using any bag as a caddy liner.

Is the bag legal to supply in my state or territory?

States and territories treat bags differently: some ban compostable plastic shopping bags, others allow certified compostable bags under conditions. Check the official page for your state or territory.

Is any environmental claim specific and backed by evidence?

The ACCC says claims must be truthful, accurate and supported, and advises against vague terms like "eco-friendly". Anyone can report a suspected misleading claim to the ACCC.

Is it an oxo-degradable bag?

Oxo-degradable plastics are banned in South Australia and the ACT, and degradable plastics are banned in WA. They break up into smaller pieces rather than composting.

About this page

biodegradablebags.com.au is a free, non-commercial reference page published by Radiant Life Distributors Pty Ltd, Adelaide. It is general information about labels, standards and regulation, not legal or compliance advice. It sells nothing, makes no claims about any product and does not review or recommend any bag, brand, supplier or retailer. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any organisation listed; listing is not an endorsement. Information was checked against official websites in November 2026; bans, council bin rules and guidance change, so confirm current details with the organisations linked above and your local council.