Acceptable Materials for Zero Waste Event

(click items for photos)

Compost Bin Guidelines

Yes	No
Plain paper containers including plates, bowls, cups, etc. Waxed paper products are acceptable, as long as you can scratch off the coating with your fingernail. Nothing can have a plastic lining.	Styrofoam® (polystyrene). It is not recyclable or compostable, regardless of what your suppliers may tell you and despite any recycling symbols on the product.
Potato starch or corn starch cutlery (spoons, forks, knives, straws)	Plastic cutlery
Wooden stir-sticks, chopsticks, toothpicks, skewers and paper deli cups	Individual condiment packets and prepackaged foods
Plastic-like compostable cups, lids and straws (made from plant starches)	Plastic-coated cups (where the coating won’t scratch off) and plastic lids and straws
Paper napkins and paper towels

 

Recycling Bin Guidelines

Yes	No
Cans and balled aluminum foil	Styrofoam® (polystyrene)
Plastic narrow-neck containers (#1, #2, and #5)*	All other numbers and types of plastics not listed*
Paper milk cartons and drink boxes	Foil drink pouches
#1, #2 and #5 plastic tubs and cups* (compostable paper, potato starch or corn starch preferred)	Other plastic deli cups (even small ones for salsa or syrup, etc.), including #4 and #6*
Glass bottles and jars	Plastic lids of any kind

*PLEASE NOTE: Plastic cups or containers that have a #3 (PVC or V), #6 (Styrofoam®, or polystyrene) or #7-PC are strongly discouraged. Simply recycling these products does not negate the environmental damage done when the resource is extracted and when the plastic is manufactured. They may also leach chemicals while in use. Read more on why avoiding all plastics is better than recycling them.

 

Sources for Compostable Serviceware:

Eco-Cycle eStore	Cen Tex Supply Boulder, CO 303-442-8477	Green Logic Ft. Collins, CO 970-484-1740
ellie's Eco Home Store Boulder, CO 303-952-1004	Hard Copy Solutions Longmont, CO 303-772-2902	All Things Renewable Denver, CO 303-307-1317

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Do-It-Yourself Mid-Size Events
Step 1: Requirements	Step 3: Pricing Guidelines	Step 5: Volunteer Info.	Feedback
Step 2: Planning	Step 4: Acceptable Materials	Frequently Asked Questions