Guide for Vendors

You can make this event another huge success by reducing waste and recycling—and helping your customers do the same. Please review these guidelines and make a difference!  This plan is to separate and contain materials for recycling or composting inside or behind your booth. Let an event worker know if you need any extra bins and compostable bags. 

Waste Reduction

Provide products that are easy to recycle and compost. Please consider these strategies to minimize waste

  • Buy supplies in bulk to avoid individual packaging
  • Encourage customers to take only the number of napkins they need
  • Provide condiments in bulk dispensers instead of single-serve packets 

Recycling

The items listed can be collected for recycling: Bottles, cans, and plastic cups. Foam cups are NOT recyclable. Paper – Cardboard boxes. Please break down boxes and leave them next to the recycling bin.

Composting 

The items listed below will be collected for composting: 

  • Food scraps– corn dogs, pizza, meat, bread, and dairy 
  • Food-soiled paper products: food “boats,” paper towels and napkins, paper plates and cups (snow cone cups), paper wrappers, wooden stir sticks and skewers 
  • Compostable serving ware – plates, cups, forks, spoons, and other items must be certified compostable; Look for the BPI certification symbol on the product or the product packaging.

Supplies to Avoid 

We ask you avoid using or distributing the following types of supplies that are not recyclable or compostable:

  •  Plastic wrap/bags, foil-lined paper
  •  Plastic forks, knives, spoons, stir sticks and straws that are not BPI certified for composting
  •  Foam plates, bowls and cups • Individually packaged condiments such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and coffee creamer 

Compostable Bags and Service Ware 

Look for the label certifying that the product is compostable. Don’t be fooled by products marketed “degradable”, “biodegradable”, or “made from plants”. Here are vendors we are aware of. There may be others. Listing here does not imply endorsement of the company. 

Click here for a downloadable printable pdf of this information.