This page explains the environmental words we use on this website, and what each one does and does not mean. We have written it so that you can tell the difference between a claim that has been tested and certified, and a general description.
Recyclable
A product that can be collected, processed and remade into a new product through UK recycling systems. Whether a specific item is accepted depends on your local authority and, for commercial waste, on your waste contractor. Where a product page states whether an item is recyclable, that information is given in the product specification.
Biodegradable
This term means only that a material will eventually break down through biological action. It says nothing about how long that takes, what conditions are needed, or what is left behind. Because the term carries no defined standard or timescale, we no longer use it to describe our products.
Compostable
Compostable is a certified claim, tested to a defined standard. There are two separate certifications and they are not interchangeable:
- Industrially compostable — certified to EN 13432. Breaks down in the controlled conditions of an industrial composting facility. It will not reliably break down in a garden compost heap or in landfill.
- Home compostable — a separate certification, for example TÜV Austria OK compost HOME. Breaks down at the lower and more variable temperatures of a domestic compost heap.
A product certified for industrial composting is not automatically home compostable. Where we state that a product is compostable, we give the standard it was certified to on the product page. Where we hold no certification, we make no composting claim.
“Eco-friendly” and “environmentally friendly”
These are general marketing terms with no legal definition and no agreed standard behind them. We are removing them from this website. In their place we describe what a product is actually made from, and how it should be disposed of, so that you can judge it for yourself.
Love The Earth
Love The Earth is one of our brand names. It is not a certification, and it is not a claim about any individual product. Products are grouped under this brand because their primary material is paper, bagasse, wood or another plant-based material rather than conventional plastic. Any specific environmental claim about a product in this range — such as whether it is compostable or recyclable — is stated on that product’s own page, with the standard it was certified to.
The green Love The Earth logo is Lesta Packaging’s own brand mark. It is not a certification mark and does not indicate that a product has been certified by any third party.
Disposal depends on where you are
Collection and disposal routes differ between local authorities, and commercial waste is handled differently again. Please check with your own waste collection provider before placing any packaging into food waste, garden waste or recycling collections.
Questions about a specific product
If you need the certification details or disposal information for a particular product, please contact our team on +44 (0) 116 242 3636 or at info@lpack.co.uk and we will provide what we hold.