The Portland Trail Blazers and Eco-Products® have announced a partnership that names Eco-Products as an Official Zero Waste Partner of the organization.
The partnership will feature compostable foodservice packaging from Eco-Products within Moda Center and Veterans Memorial Coliseum, while supporting the organization’s overall composting program and waste diversion efforts. Eco-Products will also be providing Rip City Reuse cups for Moda Center’s groundbreaking reusable drinkware program through a partnership with its Novolex® sister company, Waddington North America®.
“We’re very excited to bring on Eco-Products as an Official Zero Waste Partner as we continue to lead sustainability efforts across professional sports,” said Brittany Saulsbury, Portland Trail Blazers Sustainability Operations Manager. “With a goal of achieving zero waste for every event no later than 2030, we are taking bold steps in our waste management practices, and it all starts with what we source. Our partnership with Eco-Products will support and elevate our goal of only having compostables, recyclables, and reusables in our concession stands.”
“We’re thrilled to see compostables, recyclables and reusables working together at scale in a venue like Moda Center,” said Ian Jacobson, President of Eco-Products. “The culture and fan base in the Pacific Northwest make it the perfect place to try this for the first time, and we feel lucky to be a part of it.”
Compostable foodservice packaging provided by Eco-Products is available throughout the arena in the form of plates, bowls, trays, utensils, cups, straws and more at all concession stands and premium areas. Fan participation in the compost program is extremely accessible as all waste bins throughout the arena also feature a compost bin, where Trail Blazer fans can put their plates, bowls, utensils, and any food scraps.
Members of Rip City now have the chance to participate in a composting program that directly benefits Oregon farmers. At the conclusion of events, compost bins are sorted to remove any contamination before long-time local hauler COR Disposal & Recycling collects the compost and delivers it to a fifth-generation Oregon farmer, Annen Brothers Inc., near Mount Angel, Oregon. Annen Brothers composts the material into nutrient-rich soil, which is then utilized for farming and growing Oregon hazelnuts.
Eco-Products has a long history of working with stadiums, venues, ski resorts and others to achieve waste diversion success through the use of compostable packaging in front-of-house collection programs. They advocate for a systems approach to contamination mitigation that was recently formalized into the “CIRC” Program – a set of open-sourced tools designed to help the foodservice industry keep non-compostables out of organics streams.
