Recycling On the Go: Food Vendors

St. Louis Earth Day’s Recycling On the Go is the region’s first

Large-Scale Event Recycling Program!

This event has made a commitment to reducing waste through recycling and composting.

Our goal is to reduce the most possible amount of waste going to landfills by recycling and composting.
Please help us to achieve the highest goal by following these guidelines:

BEFORE THE EVENT: How to prepare

  • Anything with food served on it should be a certified COMPOSTABLE product.
  • Anything used for a beverage should be a RECYCLABLEproduct.(Choose #1 PETE, #2HDPE, #5PP)AVOID #6 plastic containers and all foam products (“Styrofoam” or expanded polystyrene).[1]
  • Advertise how you are helping the event’s eco-friendly effort! Post a sign at your booth.
  • You are directly impacting the economic vitality of the region when you help us put 30- 90% of the resources from the event’s waste back into our local economy through recycling and composting. Thank you for your efforts in event environmental sustainability!

WHAT TO BUY: Food Service Product Guide

RECYCLING
For beverages, request #1 or #2 plastic. NO Styrofoamavoid #6 plastic and paper cups. All paper cups and most paper plates are not recyclable.

Plastic:All oil-based plastic cartons and containers are accepted.
Look for one of these symbols (right), which indicates the type of plastic. #7 PLA plant-based plastics are compostable but not recyclable!
Oil-based plastic #1-7 (recycle it)Corn-based #7 PLA plastic (compost it)

COMPOSTINGKeep Oil out of our Soil!
Look for this Logo and seal of approval. Don’t be greenwashed!

Utensils: avoid the extra waste and serve finger food, or buy compostable versions.
For serving food, avoid plastic plates. Certified compostable paper options are best. Examples: Chinet® plain paper plates or red-checkered paper trays and plain napkins. No lining, no wax and the less ink the better for plant growth. AVOID single serving condiment packets when possible (use bulk).

Compost collection needs to be 100% free of plastic contaminates. Please keep oil out of our soil!

WHERE TO BUY LOCALLY: *Tell them you’re working with St. Louis Earth Day.*

Garrett Paper, Inc. 314.241.3060 Joe Garrett,

Industrial Soap Co.314-322-4075Amanda ,

Royal Paper Company314.664.3900Mark

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 / Compost at Events / Landfill at Events
Tin and Aluminum Cans & Clean Foil / All Foods - except greases and oils / Dirty/food-soiled Aluminum Foil & Pans
Plastic containers #1 - #7 (Other)(beverage cups & containers) / ASTM D6400 Compostable Plastic Containers - #7 PLA, #0 PLA / Plastic packaging, coffee cup lids, utensils. Flat/thin plastics.
Keep all caps/ lids on containers / Food-soiled Certified Compostable Paper plates/cups/bowls / Styrofoam (hot/cold foam cups, clamshells)
Cartons (Juice, Milk, Broth) / Wooden Stirrers & Chopsticks
Toothpicks (no tinsel) / Zip ties and Disposable gloves
Cardboard & Paperboard collapsed (Pizza boxes – OK) / ASTM D6400Compostable 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 / Gum, Snack, Condiment Packets and Candy Wrappers
Wine Corks (bag separately) / Certified ASTM-D6400 (Compostable Plastics) / Diapers, Cigarettes & Packs, Straws, Plastic Utensils, Bathroom waste (tissue)
Plastic Bags (bag separately) / USCC BPI World Seal and Certified ASTM D6868 (Biodegradable plastics used as coatings on paper) / Food soiled Plastic Wrap/Bags, Film

AT THE EVENT: What to expect.

How recycling & compost collection might look at the event.
Below:Placed throughout event grounds, a staff or volunteer may be assigned to each waste station to help event-attendees, or they may serve as a self-service station with periodic monitoring.

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.

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 recyclable waste. Stuff them in an empty box for easy collection to be taken to a grocery store for proper recycling.

COMPOST will be collected in bins like this, and at our Waste Stations.

Food waste & organics can also go in yellow totes like this placed behind food vendor tents.

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 OILmay 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 1 of 34125 Humphrey Street, St. Louis MO 63116 © St. Louis Earth Day 2011, 2015

314.282.7533 |

[1]These materials are very harmful to humans, animals and the environment.