All Resources
“Big Ten” Action Areas Emerge from System-Wide Compost and Compostable Packaging Circularity Event
The strategic plan and action items that emerged from the Improving the Circularity of Compostables and Compost event are part of a two-year systems change effort that now moves into a broad activation phase, inviting all participants in the supply chain to become involved.
Webinar Recording: Plastic Cup & Container Recycling Update
Recording of the October 2024 FPI webinar featuring industry, MRF, and material processor representatives who are recycling plastic-based cup and container takeout packaging.
Keeping Takeout Out of the Trash
To better understand the place of foodservice packaging in residential composting programs, FPI conducted a study of diverse US curbside programs and developed case studies of eight residential curbside collection programs that accept foodservice packaging — four in California, two in Minnesota, one in Washington, and one in Texas.
Rumpke to begin curbside pickup of PET clamshells
Starting Nov. 1, Rumpke’s residential and commercial customers in central Ohio and parts of northern and southeast Ohio will be able to include clear plastic carry-out containers, as well as those from berries, lettuce and eggs.
Henderson County Public Schools’ Composting Program for Food Scraps and Compostable Foodservice Packaging Enhanced
The pilot composting program diverted 38 tons in year one and 47 tons in year two, including items like compostable paper trays, containers, and napkins. The inclusion of these compostable items in the program assisted in capturing more food scraps and further reduced quantities of landfilled packaging material.
Webinar Recording: Recycling Pizza Boxes, Paper Cups, and other Paper-Based Takeout Containers
Recording of the July 2024 FPI webinar featuring MRF, paper mill, and community representatives who are recycling pizza boxes, paper cups, and other paper-based takeout packaging.
Coffee cups are now accepted for recycling in Toronto
From the 7/4/24 CBC article: Paper beverage cups lined with plastic, for both hot and cold drinks, are now accepted for recycling at home (including in apartment buildings), long-term care homes, retirement homes and elementary and high schools in the City of Toronto. The cup recycling program is expected to be expanded to all of Ontario by 2026, and to similar containers such as ice cream cups.
Paper Cup Acceptance at US Mills Reaches New Milestone
The total number of U.S. paper mills accepting paper cups is now more than 40, marking “significant progress” since the end of last year.
Foodservice Packagers Work to Pump Curbside Recycling of Their Materials
Two-thirds of foodservice packaging is for to-go orders and winds up back in consumers’ homes. FPI conducted a resident survey looking for insight to inform messaging around recycling and to home in on missed recovery opportunities.
Webinar Recording: Insights into Effective Resident Education
In December 2023, FPI held a webinar that shared information on the effect of images, language and special instructions related to recycling take-out containers. We also learned about best practices and tools, and heard real-world examples of resident education from communities and haulers.
National Survey of Over 1,000 U.S. Residents Provides Insight on Recycling Decisions
FPI released a summary of findings from its Resident Messaging Survey, sharing information related to resident assumptions on recyclability, awareness of what items can be recycled, and top sources of recycling instructions. The survey focused on recycling messaging related to take-out items such as plastic cups and containers, paper cups and pizza boxes.
Foodservice Packaging Institute’s Efforts Enable Over 7 Million Additional Households to Recycle Cups and Take-out Containers
FPI has launched more than 20 community partnerships, utilizing collaboration and communication to identify, test and increase acceptance of food service packaging for recycling. At the heart of each of these recycling success stories are the MRF-to-mill pathways.
Eco-Products Launches Program to Prevent Compost Contamination
Eco-Products has launched a new program that will help foodservice operators keep non-compostable items from contaminating their compostable organics streams. Research done in 2022, the CompostAble Chicago study, found that restaurants and other vendors may divert more food scraps and other materials from landfills if they adopt compostable packaging into their operations.
MRF to Mill
FPI has launched more than 20 community partnerships, utilizing collaboration and communication to identify, test and increase acceptance of food service packaging for recycling. At the heart of each of these recycling success stories are the MRF-to-mill pathways.
Grant Helps Fund Opening of New Chicago MRF
A new materials recovery facility (MRF) has opened in Chicago with equipment thanks to a collaborative grant from the Carton Council of North America and the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI).
Collaboration Across Value Chains Key to Increasing Foodservice Packaging Recycling
Industry consultants on a recent Foodservice Packaging Institute webinar described three studies examining food service packaging recovery.
Study Explores Cleanliness of Food Packaging in Bins
From the article: The latest FPI study took place in 2022 and investigated whether levels of food residue on foodservice packaging differed from those found on the food contact packaging that is more traditionally included in recycling programs.
Chicago, IL Introduces Paper Cup Recycling
LRS, the City of Chicago’s blue cart recycling service provider for four of the six zones, has expanded its list of accepted materials to now include paper cups.
Accelerated Solutions: NextCycle Works to Accelerate Solutions to Address Plastics in a Growing Circular Economy
NextCycle is designed around accelerating solutions toward a circular economy where “waste” is no longer part of the system and is adapted strategically to meet specific regional, statewide and national needs. Read about the FPI-supported NextCycle program.
City of Memphis Introduces Paper Cup Recycling
The city of Memphis has partnered with the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) as the latest city to introduce residential paper cup recycling as more than 182,000 households now can recycle clean, empty paper cups through the city’s curbside program.