Is biodegradable packaging better for the climate?
Not always. Biodegradable material that breaks down in a landfill without air can release methane, a stronger greenhouse gas than CO2. The climate result depends on the material footprint and on where the pack actually ends up. Compare cradle-to-grave figures for the realistic disposal route, not the label.
What decides it
- Material footprint per pack.
- Weight compared with the pack it replaces.
- Real disposal: landfill, compost, recycling or burning.
A practical test
If the pack will mostly go to mixed waste or landfill, a lighter recyclable pack may be lower carbon.
What Senseible does here
Senseible reads bills, fuel invoices and production records into dated, fingerprinted records, so the figure you send a buyer can be traced to its documents.
Sources: GHG Protocol standards, including the Product Standard, 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard
Last reviewed 2026-10-23.