The certification process for compostability is limited to commercial facilities where the exact temperature and mixing for optimum biodegradability can be regularly monitored. While compostable plastics and other products made from plant-based materials may start to show signs of biodegradation in a home compost over time, they likely won’t disappear within a 180-day timeframe. The composting process is activated by a precise combination of heat, sunlight and moisture. This balance between “it’ll break down only under certain conditions” and “it’ll break down whenever, wherever” is actually what makes compostable packaging possible—it’ll stay intact on a store shelf or while holding your food, but it can be broken down and used again to grow more plants once sent to a composting facility.