Compostable Serviceware-

• The Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) has a list of serviceware that will meet any commercial food waste composter’s requirements. Remember though, paper can almost always be composted. Pizza boxes, Kraft, Dixie and Chinet paper products including wax covered cups can be composted on the commercial level. These items will not be on the BPI website, but are inherently compostable because they have not been treated with any petroleum based coating.


• BEWARE!!! There are many companies that are jumping on the green serviceware bandwagon with claims that are dubious and misleading. Some things to keep in mind while looking for serviceware are:


• Biodegradable is commonly misused. Many plastics are being sold as biodegradable with additives that render them neither recyclable nor compostable. The Society of the Plastics Industry Bioplastics Council put out a paper entitled Position Paper on Oxo-biodegradables and other degradable additives about these products with more information about the problems associated with them


• Biodegradable does not equal compostable. Biodegradable doesn't have a specific time in which it will breakdown, but compostable does.


• Compostable rarely means "in your back yard". Compostable has very specific definitions when it comes to commercial composting facilities. Most home composting systems don't reach high enough temperatures for long enough in order to breakdown most of the bio-based resin cups and utensils on the market. They will eventually breakdown in a back yard system, but the time frame is less certain (1-5 years) than in a commercial composting facility (30-90 days).


• Each commercial composting facility is different in what it will accept. It's always a good idea to run your purchase order by the facility that will be taking your compostable materials to make sure that there will be no problems.

• If you are unable to find a place to compost your event’s waste then making it recyclable is the next best option. Unfortunately there are no recyclable equivalents for utensils available. Check back for more info on best options in recyclable serviceware. In general, plastics marked with a #1 or # 2 are most likely to be recycled.