USDA Biobased vs Certified Compostable: The Pet Owner's Complete Certification Guide (2026)

If you have ever stood in a pet store aisle staring at two bags with nearly identical green branding, one labelled 'USDA Certified Biobased' and the other 'Certified Compostable', you have encountered one of the most misunderstood distinctions in the pet products space. Both certifications sound like they are saying the same thing. 

They are not. They measure completely different things, apply at completely different stages of a product's life, and carry completely different legal and environmental implications under the FTC Green Guides. Getting them confused is not just a consumer education problem, it has led to confusion, regulatory scrutiny, and legal challenges

This guide explains both certifications from first principles: what each standard actually tests, what the label legally means you can claim, what it cannot cover, and which certification is the more honest and achievable standard for most pet product brands in the US market. We will also cover exactly where Pet N Pet products sit, and why Pet N Pet's decision to carry USDA Certified Biobased status without a compostable claim is the correct and legally defensible position.

USDA Biobased vs Certified Compostable: Side-by-Side Comparison

The table below compares both certifications across nine criteria. Read it carefully before accepting any eco label at face value.

USDA Certified Biobased: What It Actually Measures

The USDA Certified Biobased label is administered under the USDA BioPreferred Program, operating under 7 CFR Part 4270 and authorised by the 2018 Farm Bill. It is a voluntary labelling programme run by the US federal government and is the same standard used to determine which products the US government is required to procure preferentially.

The Science: ASTM D6866 Radiocarbon Analysis

The test that underpins USDA biobased certification is ASTM D6866, Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis. This is not a qualitative test. It is a quantitative measurement using two distinct radiocarbon analysis methods:

• Method B, Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS): Measures the ratio of carbon-14 (new, plant-derived carbon) to carbon-12 and carbon-13. Plant-derived carbon contains carbon-14; petroleum-derived carbon does not (it is millions of years old and the carbon-14 has fully decayed). The ratio directly measures the percentage of plant-derived carbon in the product.

• Method C, Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC): An alternative radiocarbon method used when material quantities are constrained.

The result is expressed as a percentage: 41% biobased content means 41% of the organic carbon in the product came from plant-derived renewable sources. The remaining 59% came from petroleum. This is what is on Pet N Pet's bags,  not an approximation, not a marketing claim. A number, tested by an independent USDA-approved laboratory.

What the USDA Biobased Certification Covers

• The proportion of product material derived from renewable biological sources (plants, agricultural materials, forestry materials)

• Verified by an accredited third-party laboratory,  there is no self-declaration option for the USDA label

• The label must display the exact biobased percentage, it is illegal to use the USDA logo without the verified percentage

• For products outside designated federal procurement categories, minimum biobased content is 25%,  Pet N Pet's 41% and 92% products are well above the floor

• Certification is subject to renewal and periodic auditing,  it is not a one-time stamp

What the USDA Biobased Certification Does NOT Cover

• USDA biobased certification does not certify that the product biodegrades

• USDA biobased certification does not certify that the product composts

• USDA biobased certification does not certify zero or positive environmental impact

• A product can be 100% biobased and still persist in a landfill for hundreds of years

This distinction is not a weakness , it is the certification's integrity. It makes a specific, testable, verifiable claim about raw material origin. That is exactly what the FTC requires for defensible environmental claims. Pet N Pet leads with this, discloses the percentage, and does not imply compostability. That is the correct approach.

Pet N Pet and USDA Biobased Certification

Pet N Pet's poop bags are available at 41% and 92% USDA Certified Biobased content , with the 92% line being among the highest biobased content certified for a pet waste bag in the US market. The dog wipes range also carries a USDA Certified Biobased designation on the plant-based formula.

Certified Compostable (ASTM D6400): What It Actually Measures

Certified Compostable is a fundamentally different type of claim from USDA Biobased. Where biobased certification looks backward at what the product is made of, compostable certification looks forward at what happens to the product after use.

The Standard: ASTM D6400

ASTM D6400 , Standard Specification for Labeling of Plastics Designed to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities , is the primary US standard for compostable plastics. To earn this certification, a product must demonstrate three properties under controlled testing conditions:

1. Biodegradation at a minimum rate of 60% conversion to CO2 within 180 days under composting conditions (compared to a reference material)

2. Disintegration , the material must physically fragment to the point that it passes through a 2mm sieve within 12 weeks

3. No toxic residue , the finished compost must not show significant ecotoxicity versus a blank compost control

Third-party certification is conducted in the US primarily by BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute), which tests to ASTM D6400. In Europe, TUV AUSTRIA OK Compost certification uses EN 13432, which covers equivalent requirements. California and Washington state specifically require ASTM D6400 compliance for products sold as compostable in those states.

The Crucial Infrastructure Requirement

This is not a theoretical concern. Earth Rated settled an $825,000 class action in 2024 over compostable and biodegradable claims made on products sold between 2015 and 2024 , even though the company denied wrongdoing. The legal infrastructure around compostable claims in the US is actively litigated.

What Happens to Compostable Bags in a Landfill?

Compostable bags require three conditions that sealed Subtitle D landfills do not provide: oxygen (aerobic environment), controlled high temperatures (typically 55-60C for pathogen kill), and a diverse microbial community. In a standard sealed landfill, none of these conditions exist at the required level.

A certified compostable bag disposed of in a regular trash bin and sent to a standard landfill will behave almost identically to a standard polyethylene bag. The compostable certification is real , but it is conditional on the disposal environment.

This is the distinction that most consumers do not know and most brands do not explain clearly. The certification is about what the bag can do, not what it will do under real-world disposal conditions.

EN 13432 and Home Compostable Standards

EN 13432 is the European equivalent of ASTM D6400 and covers industrial compostability to similar standards. A separate category , 'Home Compostable' products carrying TUV AUSTRIA OK Compost HOME or NF T51-800 certifications , covers bags designed to break down in backyard compost conditions (lower temperatures, longer timeframes). 

These products are the most genuinely accessible compostable option for individual pet owners who maintain home compost systems , with the important caveat that most jurisdictions recommend keeping pet waste out of vegetable garden compost due to pathogen risk.

Can a Product Be Both USDA Biobased and Certified Compostable?

Yes , and some products do hold both. A bag made primarily from PLA (polylactic acid, a corn-derived bioplastic) or thermoplastic starch can be simultaneously USDA Certified Biobased (high percentage of plant-derived carbon) and ASTM D6400 certified compostable (will fully break down in industrial composting).

However, holding both certifications requires a fundamentally different material approach than most biobased products use. Pet N Pet's bags contain a blend of plant-derived biobased material and polyethylene.

The polyethylene component is not compostable under ASTM D6400. This is why Pet N Pet carries USDA biobased certification but not compostable certification , and why that is the honest and accurate position.

The Material Trade-Off

The FTC Green Guides: Why These Certifications Matter Legally

The FTC Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260) are the Federal Trade Commission's guidance on environmental marketing claims. They do not have the force of law but represent the FTC's enforcement position , brands that violate them face action for deceptive advertising under Section 5 of the FTC Act.

The FTC specifically updated the Green Guides to address the dog waste bag category after a 2015 enforcement sweep that sent warning letters to 20 manufacturers.

The Green Guides are currently under formal review, with the FTC voting unanimously on December 14, 2022 to initiate a revision process. As of May 2026, revised guides have not yet been published , but the existing guides remain active and enforceable.

The Earth Rated Case Study

Earth Rated updated its marketing following a legal settlement related to past claims The settlement did not constitute an admission of wrongdoing, but the brand has since removed biodegradable language from its standard product listings and explicitly states in its FAQ that its bags are not biodegradable.

The lesson: a brand that cannot substantiate a compostable or biodegradable claim is not just wrong , it is a class action target. Pet N Pet's decision to lead with USDA biobased content and explicitly disclaim biodegradability is the legally correct and transparent approach.

Pet N Pet Products: Certification Status and Honest Positioning

The table below maps Pet N Pet and key competitor products against both certification frameworks.

Why Pet N Pet Does Not Claim Compostable Status

Pet N Pet's poop bags contain plant-derived biobased material blended with polyethylene. Because the polyethylene component cannot meet ASTM D6400 biodegradation requirements under industrial composting, a compostable certification is not achievable for these products without fundamentally changing the formulation. 

Claiming compostable without ASTM D6400 certification would be a violation of FTC SS260.7.

Pet N Pet's position is: transparent, legal, and accurate. 41% of the carbon in every bag is plant-derived, independently verified by the US government. The bags are not compostable. Both statements are true. Pet N Pet publishes both.

The 92% Biobased Line: The Next Step

Pet N Pet's 92% USDA Certified Biobased bags represent a near-elimination of petroleum content from the material blend. At 92% biobased, the primary environmental input is overwhelmingly renewable. The bags still contain a small proportion of polyethylene and do not meet ASTM D6400 compostable certification. The brand does not claim otherwise.

For buyers whose priority is reducing virgin petroleum dependency from raw material inputs , rather than end-of-life composting , the 92% biobased line delivers the strongest available certification at that material-origin level.

Which Certification Should Matter to You as a Pet Owner?

The answer depends entirely on which part of a product's life you care most about changing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between USDA Certified Biobased and Certified Compostable?

USDA Certified Biobased (ASTM D6866) certifies the percentage of a product derived from plant-based renewable sources rather than petroleum. Certified Compostable (ASTM D6400 in the US, EN 13432 in Europe) certifies that the product will fully break down in an industrial composting facility within 180 days. The first is about input material origin. The second is about end-of-life behaviour under specific disposal conditions.

Is USDA Biobased the same as biodegradable?

No. USDA Biobased certification makes no claim about biodegradation rate or end-of-life behaviour. A product that is 100% biobased in material origin may still persist in a landfill for hundreds of years because landfill conditions do not support rapid biological breakdown. The FTC Green Guides (SS260.8) prohibit unqualified biodegradable claims for products destined for landfill, because standard landfills cannot support decomposition within 12 months.

Do Pet N Pet poop bags biodegrade?

Pet N Pet poop bags contain 41% or 92% USDA Certified Biobased content blended with polyethylene. They are not certified compostable under ASTM D6400 and do not claim to be biodegradable. In a standard landfill, like all plastic-containing bags, they will not break down within 12 months. The USDA certification is a material input claim: 41% of the carbon in every bag came from plant-derived renewable sources rather than petroleum. Pet N Pet publishes this distinction clearly.

What is ASTM D6866 and why does it matter for biobased certification?

ASTM D6866 is the Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis. It uses accelerator mass spectrometry to measure the ratio of plant-derived carbon (which contains carbon-14) to petroleum-derived carbon (which does not) in a product sample. It is the only USDA-accepted testing method for BioPreferred certification, and testing must be performed by an USDA-approved accredited laboratory. There is no self-declaration option.

What is ASTM D6400 and does it apply to pet waste bags in landfill?

ASTM D6400 is the Standard Specification for Labeling of Plastics Designed to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities. It certifies that a product meets biodegradation, disintegration, and ecotoxicity requirements under industrial composting conditions , controlled heat, oxygen, and moisture over 180 days. It does not apply to landfill conditions. A bag certified to ASTM D6400 that is disposed of in a standard sealed landfill will not compost, because landfills are anaerobic and lack the temperatures and microbial diversity required.

Why did Earth Rated settle a $825K class action over biodegradable claims?

Earth Rated settled a class action covering purchases from October 2015 through June 2024 over biodegradable and compostable claims on its products. The core legal issue was FTC Green Guides SS260.8: unqualified biodegradable claims for bags that end up in standard landfills are deceptive because the bags cannot break down within 12 months under real disposal conditions. Earth Rated denied wrongdoing but removed the claims and updated its FAQ to explicitly state its bags are not biodegradable. The case is a direct illustration of why specific, certified claims (like USDA Biobased 41%) are legally safer than general eco claims.

Can compostable bags be used in any compost system?

Only if the bag holds the appropriate certification for the composting environment. ASTM D6400 (BPI certified) applies to industrial municipal composting facilities, which require specific conditions most homeowners cannot replicate. For backyard compost, look for TUV AUSTRIA OK Compost HOME or NF T51-800 certification. Even with home compostable bags, most composting guidance recommends keeping pet waste separate from edible garden compost due to pathogen risk from Toxocara and other organisms in dog and cat waste.

Which is more reliable for most US pet owners: USDA Biobased or Certified Compostable?

For most US pet owners who dispose of bags in standard household waste, USDA Certified Biobased is the more reliably meaningful certification. It certifies something that is already true about the product , that a verified percentage of the material came from plant-derived sources rather than petroleum , regardless of where the bag is ultimately disposed. Certified Compostable is a meaningful certification, but its environmental benefit only materialises if an ASTM D6400-compatible industrial composting facility that accepts pet waste is accessible to the buyer.

The Bottom Line

USDA Biobased and Certified Compostable are not competing certifications , they are measuring different things. One tells you where the material came from. The other tells you what it can do at end-of-life under specific conditions.

For pet owners in the US market, where industrial composting facilities that accept pet waste are rare and most bags end up in standard household waste, USDA Biobased certification is the more accessible, verifiable, and reliably honest certification to look for. It makes a specific, government-tested claim that is true regardless of disposal pathway.

Pet N Pet's approach , leading with 41% and 92% USDA Certified Biobased content, stating the exact percentage, and explicitly not claiming biodegradability or compostability, is the most legally transparent positioning available to a biobased pet product brand in 2026. It reflects what the product actually is: a significant reduction in petroleum-derived raw material input, verified by the US government, without overpromising end-of-life outcomes that depend on infrastructure most buyers cannot access.