Recycling On the Go: Food Vendors
St. Louis Earth Day’s Recycling On the Go is the region’s first largescale event recycling program. Our goal is to reduce the amount of
waste going to landfills by recycling and composting a portion of the
waste an event generates.
This event has made a commitment to reducing waste through recycling and
composting. We appreciate your cooperation in achieving the highest rate of diversion
of materials from the landfill as possible by following these guidelines.
BEFORE THE EVENT: How to prepare
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Anything with food served on it should be a certified COMPOSTABLE product.
Anything used for a beverage should be a RECYCLABLE product. (Choose #1 PETE, #2HDPE, #5PP)
AVOID #6 plastic containers and all foam products.1
Advertise how you are helping the event’s eco-friendly effort! Post a sign at your booth.
WHAT TO BUY: Food Service Product Guide
For beverages, request #1 or #2 plastic. Avoid Styrofoam & #6 plastic and
paper cups. Paper mills are not able to recycle paper cups; they are trash.
Plastic Beverage Cups: When determining whether or not a cup is recyclable,
look on the bottom for one of these symbols (right), which indicates the type
of plastic. AVOID #6 plastic. #7 PLA cups are compostable but not recyclable.
For forks/knives/spoons, avoid the extra waste and serve finger food, or
buy compostable versions. The vast majority of plastic utensils are not
recyclable and impossible to recover in a recycling facility (too small).
Compostable utensils are readily available (see resources below).
For serving food, avoid plastic plates. Paper boat trays are a better option
as most can be composted. Certified compostable paper options are the best. Also, #7PLA compostable
plastic portion cups and clamshells are available.
WHERE TO BUY LOCALLY: *Tell them you’re working with St. Louis Earth Day.*
Garrett Paper, Inc.
Industrial Soap Co.
Office Essentials
Royal Paper Company
1
314.241.3060
Joe Garrett, Jr.
314-322-4075
Amanda Noss
314.373.5537
Kate Dougherty
314.664.3900
Mark Licata
www.garrettpaper.com
joejr@garrettpaper.com
www.industrialsoap.com
anoss@industrialsoap.com, awnoss@hotmail.com
www.offess.com
kdougherty@offess.com
www.royalpaper.com
mlicata18@aol.com
These materials are very harmful to humans, animals and the environment.
Page 1 of 3
4125 Humphrey Street, St. Louis MO 63116
www.stlouisearthday.org
© St. Louis Earth Day 2011, 2015
Recycling On the Go: Food Vendors
Cartons and Containers are accepted in recycling. There is a difference in what can be accepted
without harming the recycling system and what can actually be recycled (example: paper cups). These
are the best practices for event recycling.
Recycle at Events
Tin and Aluminum Cans & Clean
Foil
Plastic containers #1 - #5,
#7 (Other) (beverage cups &
containers)
Keep all caps/ lids on containers
Cartons (Juice, Milk, Broth)
Compost at Events
All Foods - except greases and oils
and large quantities of meat
ASTM D6400 Compostable Plastic
Containers - #7 PLA, #0 PLA
Food-soiled Certified Compostable
Paper plates/cups/bowls
Wooden Stirrers & Chopsticks
Toothpicks (no tinsel)
Landfill at Events
Dirty/food-soiled Aluminum Foil & Pans
Plastic packaging, # 6 Plastic (colored cups,
hard clear plastic cups, coffee cup lids,
utensils) Flat/thin plastics.
Styrofoam (hot/cold foam cups,
clamshells)
Zip ties and Disposable gloves
Cardboard & Paperboard
collapsed (Pizza boxes – OK)
ASTM D6400 Compostable Forks,
Knives, Spoons - #7 PLA, #0 PLA
Foil-, Wax-, or Foam- lined products
Paper (clean, not waxy)
No Paper Cups
Paper Napkins, Towels (white &
brown)- no tissues or toilet paper
Paper Cups
Glass bottles (wine bottles to be
in original boxes to transport)
Paper Cups, Bowls, Plates must
meet ASTM D6400, D6868
Certified ASTM-D6400
(Compostable Plastics)
USCC BPI World Seal and Certified
ASTM D6868 (Biodegradable
plastics used as coatings on paper)
Wine Corks (bag separately)
Plastic Bags (bag separately)
Gum, Snack, Condiment Packets and
Candy Wrappers
Diapers, Cigarettes & Packs, Straws, Plastic
Utensils, Bathroom waste (tissue)
Food soiled Plastic Wrap/Bags, Film
AT THE EVENT: What to expect.
How recycling & compost collection might look at the event.
Below: Recycling/compost bins placed throughout event grounds,
paired with trash barrels. A staff or volunteer may be assigned to
each group of containers to help event-attendees.
Above: Waste Station tables with volunteers or staff to help
event-attendees sort their waste as recycling, compost or
landfill. These tables may be under tents or not.
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4125 Humphrey Street, St. Louis MO 63116
www.stlouisearthday.org
© St. Louis Earth Day 2011, 2015
Recycling On the Go: Food Vendors
AT THE EVENT: How to do your part.
RECYCLE the items listed above in blue bins like this that you will see
throughout the grounds.
Collapse and stack cardboard behind your booth for our staff & volunteers to
pick up. Please separate plastic from cardboard.
Clean plastic bags, like ice bags, can be recycled if kept separate from other
waste. Stuff them in an empty box for easy collection.
COMPOST will be collected in bins like this,
and at our Waste Stations.
Food waste & organics can also go in
yellow totes like this.
THROW AWAY all items that cannot be recycled or composted (see
chart) – this includes cigarettes, diapers, gum, and granola bar
wrappers, food service disposable gloves.
Every black bag is assumed to be trash and will not be recycled.
COOKING OIL may be collected at certain events in well-marked containers. PLEASE keep a look out for
these and know the difference from trash containers. They are typically found behind vendors and SLED
staff will alert food vendors on site.
Page 3 of 3
4125 Humphrey Street, St. Louis MO 63116
www.stlouisearthday.org
© St. Louis Earth Day 2011, 2015