When we hear the words "compostable" and "biodegradable," it's hard not to imagine a world where our waste doesn't pollute landfills. But what do these terms mean and how are they supposed to work?

Composting requires oxygen, moisture, and heat to break down organic matter. In a landfill, these aren't readily available.

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1. Paper

Paper bags are commonly used as shopping bags and to store consumer goods. They are also a popular form of packaging for parties and gifts.

The type of bag you use depends on the item you are packaging, but all paper bags should be made from biodegradable, plant-based materials. This includes the inks and adhesives that are used on the bags themselves.

This makes them a great addition to your compost bin as they are a combination of green and brown waste that can decompose in a composting process.

Moreover, it is important to shred or cut them into smaller pieces before putting them in the compost bin. This will help ensure that they do not restrict the circulation of air in the pile and affect the integrity of the compost.

While most brown paper bags are biodegradable bags, there are a few types that should not be added to the compost pile. These include merchandise paper bags, which are typically branded with the name or colors of the company that is using them.

2. Biodegradable

Biodegradable bags are designed to break down in sunlight and oxygen, without releasing toxic toxins into the environment. They are made from plants like corn or potatoes, and if they're certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), they will completely break down within about 84 days in an industrial compost facility.

These bags are more environmentally friendly than regular plastic trash bags, and they can also be recycled if they're made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastics. They also reduce the need for non-renewable fossil fuels.

But a recent study has revealed that some biodegradable disposable bags aren't as green as they seem. A group of scientists at the University of Plymouth tested five different bioplastic bags--including oxo-biodegradable varieties and those labeled as biodegradable or compostable--in soil, marine water and air to see how they would decompose.

The researchers discovered that the oxo-biodegradable bags were virtually unrecognizable after three years in the environments, while both the compostable and the biodegradable bags showed signs of deterioration after 27 months underground. In addition, the oxo-biodegradable bag emitted methane, which is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide and contributes to global warming.

3. Plastic

Plastic bags are made from petroleum products, and the material they're made from is a major contributor to plastic pollution. They litter landscapes, clog sewers and landfills, and they're even found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A compostable trash bags are made from plant-based materials, and they're supposed to break down in a certain set of conditions within a specific amount of time. They're also supposed to have the Biodegradable Products Institute's leaf-and-tree seal, which means that they've been tested by a third party.

According to research conducted by British marine biologist Richard Thompson, none of the five kinds of compostable bags studied — traditional polyethylene, plant-based, and plastics with additives designed to make them oxidize with exposure to oxygen — fully decomposed in any environment after nine months or more.

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4. Vinyl

Vinyl is a type of plastic that is commonly used in a variety of applications. It is one of the most versatile and widely used types of plastic in the world, and it has many advantages over other materials that can be more difficult to work with or are less durable.

It is made from a combination of ethylene (found in crude oil) and chlorine. The resulting mixture is then put through a cracking process, which converts the chemical into Vinyl Chloride Monomer.

Some people believe that the deep black color of records is due to carbon-based pigment that is added to the PVC during pressing, reducing dust on the record and improving its longevity and sound quality. This might not offset the environmental impact of the chemicals used to make the records, but it does give them a longer lifespan as a consumer product and makes them more likely to be passed down to future generations.