Best Compostable Trash Bags for Kitchen Caddies and Green Bins
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There are two different certifications on these bags and they promise different things. ASTM D6400, and the BPI logo that goes with it, means the bag breaks down in a commercial composting facility, where the pile runs hot for weeks. OK Compost HOME, awarded by TÜV Austria, is the stricter one: it means the bag also breaks down at backyard temperatures, in a heap that never gets above warm. A bag with the first and not the second will sit intact in your garden composter more or less indefinitely, which is the single most common disappointment in this category. The word biodegradable on its own carries no standard at all. So I score these on which certifications the seller actually names, and I checked every listing below rather than taking the word on the box.
Top picks
UNNI 2.6 Gallon Compostable Bags — Best overall for a countertop caddy
- Perfect Fit for Small Kitchen Bins — 2.6 gallon / 9.84 liter (16.3 in x 16.5 in, 0.71 mil); 100 bags per roll. Designed for compact kitchen compost bins to keep food-scrap collection simple and clean.
- Everyday Strength — 0.71 mil liners handle daily kitchen scraps and peels, helping keep bins clean and tidy.
- Certified Compostable — Independently certified by BPI (U.S., to ASTM D6400), CMA (field-tested in operating facilities), and OK compost HOME by TÜV AUSTRIA (home/backyard).
Why it wins: More than thirty thousand ratings at a high average, and the listing names BPI, CMA, OK Compost HOME and ASTM D6400 together, which is as complete as certification gets in this category. The 2.6 gallon size is the one most kitchen caddies take, and at 0.71 mil these hold wet scraps for the few days a caddy actually sits before it goes out.
Pros
- Carries both the commercial and the home composting certifications
- By far the largest body of owner feedback in the category
- Fits the standard countertop caddy sizes without bunching
- Hundred count lasts a normal kitchen several months
Cons
- Thinner than the kitchen bin bags, so not for heavy loads
- No drawstring or handle, so they need tying
Skip it if: you want one bag size for both the caddy and the main bin.
Scores: Performance 5/5 | Certification 5/5 | Ease of use 5/5 | Value 5/5
SUPERBIO 13 Gallon with Handles — Best for the kitchen bin
- Product Information: SUPERBIO Compostable Kitchen Waste Bags, 13 gallon (49.2L) 22.8 in x 36.6 in x 0.87 mil, 30 bags per rol, handle tie
- Certifications: SUPERBIO bags has been awarded official certificates from Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) (Commercially Compostable Only) and OK compost HOME, SEEDLING from TÜV, meeting ASTM D6400 and EN 13432 standard
- Storage & Usage: Keep product away from heat and store in a cool, dry place, SUPERBIO bags have a shelf life of approx. one year. Dispose of product within 3 days when bag is holding organic waste, especially that with a strong acidic/alkaline content. Suitable for a variety of indoor and outdoor household trash disposal usages
Why it wins: The highest average rating of the full-size bags here, with BPI, OK Compost HOME, ASTM D6400 and EN 13432 all named on the listing, at 0.87 mil. The handles matter more than they sound: compostable film tears more easily than polyethylene, and a handle spreads the load instead of concentrating it where you grip.
Pros
- Best average rating of the thirteen gallon bags in this search
- Both certifications named, including the home composting one
- Handles reduce the tearing that kills cheaper compostable bags
- Thicker than the caddy liners without being stiff
Cons
- Thirty to a box, so the cost per bag is higher than bulk packs
- Handles add bulk in a tight bin
Skip it if: you empty a bin daily and want the lowest cost per bag.
Scores: Performance 5/5 | Certification 5/5 | Ease of use 5/5 | Value 3/5
Simply Bio 13 Gallon Drawstring — Best for wet and heavy loads
- Convenient Size and Packaging: These Simply Bio 13-gallon compostable bags, equivalent to 49.2 liters, are 1 mil thick. Each roll contains 30 bags, equipped with a drawstring for easy closure. Sized at Width 23.7 in. x Height 29.4 in.
- Durable and Leak-Resistant Design: With a 1 mil thickness, these bags are built to resist punctures and leaks, making them reliable for everyday use.
- Versatile Usage: Ideal for managing kitchen scraps, household waste, office waste, and commercial use.
Why it wins: A full 1 mil thickness with ASTM D6400, BPI and OK Compost Home all stated, which is the combination to reach for if your bin takes coffee grounds, melon rinds and anything that leaks. Thickness is the honest fix for the leaking that puts people off compostable bags entirely.
Pros
- Thickest film here at 1 mil
- All three certifications named on the listing
- Drawstring closes properly on a full bin
Cons
- Lowest average rating of the picks on this page
- Thirty bags per box
- Heavier film takes longer to break down in a cool heap
Skip it if: your bin only ever sees dry waste, where the extra thickness is wasted.
Scores: Performance 5/5 | Certification 5/5 | Ease of use 4/5 | Value 3/5
Forid 13 Gallon, 80 Count — Best value in bulk
- Perfect Sized Trash Bags - The size of 13 Gallon trash bags is (L*W)24.8 * 31.4 inch.Fit round garbage bins with diameter ≤ 15.7”,height ≤ 27.4”,rectangular wastebaskets with longest side ≤ 12.4” and height ≤ 27.4”.Suitable for most small bins in the U.S.
- Strong & Durbale Garbage Bags - Each trash can liners is sealed with an octagonal bottomd to withstand at least 83LB (38kg). Good strength, it is not easy to tear and doesn't leak when the wet garbage is loaded.
- Certified Material - The material of the medium trash bags complies with the standard ASTM D6400 and the European standard EN 13432. You can compost the bag in the backyard or home composting facility without causing damage to the environment.
Why it wins: Eighty bags in a box with nearly seven thousand ratings behind them, which brings the per-bag cost well below the thirty count boxes. The listing names ASTM D6400 and EN 13432, so the commercial composting standard is covered and documented.
Pros
- Eighty count drops the cost per bag sharply
- Large review base at a solid average
- Commercial composting standards named on the listing
- Fits 13 gallon and 55 litre bins
Cons
- No OK Compost HOME mark, so this one is for municipal collection rather than a backyard heap
- Thickness is not stated on the listing
- Unscented only
Skip it if: you compost in your own garden, where you want the home certification.
Scores: Performance 4/5 | Certification 3/5 | Ease of use 4/5 | Value 5/5
Plasticplace 40-45 Gallon — Best for yard waste and big bins
- ECO FRIENDLY - Make a more sustainable choice with our Earth friendly bags that decompose instead of taking up space in a landfill. ASTM #d6400 standard compliant – This bag meets California’s standard requirement for decomposition.
- PERFORMANCE GAUGE - 1 MIL - These liners were custom made to handle standard household compostable waste. Compost foods, kitchen wastes, scraps, fruit peels, vegetable skins, etc.
- LARGE SIZE – 40-45 GALLON - They are designed to be composted in a commercial or industrial facility, so they are not suitable for backyard composting. It also offers an opaque color for visibility without a messy look.
Why it wins: Sixty thousand ratings on a 1 mil liner at a size almost nobody else makes compostable, which is why it is the default for garden waste and large outdoor bins. If your council collects green waste in a wheelie bin, this is the bag that fits it.
Pros
- The largest review base of anything in this search
- 40 to 45 gallon capacity, a size that is genuinely hard to find
- 1 mil film copes with garden prunings and wet leaves
Cons
- The listing names no certification standard, so check what your hauler accepts
- Fifty to a box at the highest price here
- Green tint shows through lighter bins
Skip it if: your collection service requires a BPI logo on the bag, and skip it for indoor kitchen use.
Scores: Performance 4/5 | Certification 2/5 | Ease of use 4/5 | Value 4/5
Quick compare
- Best overall: UNNI 2.6 gallon, caddy sized only
- Kitchen bin: SUPERBIO with handles, dearer per bag
- Wet loads: Simply Bio 1 mil, lowest rating here
- Bulk value: Forid 80 count, no home certification
- Yard and big bins: Plasticplace 40-45 gallon, no standard named
Two things will save you money and frustration. Check what happens to your waste before you choose: if it goes to a municipal facility, BPI or ASTM D6400 is all you need, but if it goes on your own heap you want OK Compost HOME on the box, because the first standard assumes temperatures a garden pile never reaches. And buy the count you will get through in a year rather than the biggest box on the page. These bags are designed to break down, and that process starts slowly in storage, so a two hundred count box kept in a warm cupboard can have you fighting splits by the end of it. Somewhere cool, dry and dark, with the box closed, is all they need.
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