The Portland Trail Blazers have partnered with Eco-Products® to become an Official Zero Waste Partner of the organization. This collaboration aims to enhance the sustainability efforts of the Trail Blazers by incorporating Eco-Products’ compostable foodservice packaging into Moda Center and Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Alongside supporting the organization’s composting program and waste diversion initiatives, Eco-Products will also provide Rip City Reuse cups for Moda Center’s innovative reusable drinkware program, in collaboration with its Novolex® sister company, Waddington North America®.
Brittany Saulsbury, Portland Trail Blazers Sustainability Operations Manager, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “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. Our goal of achieving zero waste for every event by 2030 involves taking bold steps in waste management, beginning with our sourcing. Our partnership with Eco-Products will support and elevate our commitment to exclusively using compostable, recyclable, and reusable items in our concession stands.”
Ian Jacobson, President of Eco-Products, echoed the excitement, saying, “We’re thrilled to see compostables, recyclables, and reusables working together at scale in a venue like Moda Center. The culture and fanbase 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.”
The Portland Trail Blazers are dedicated to sustainability efforts that contribute to their journey towards Zero Waste, striving to improve and protect the environment for all individuals in the community. Throughout the arena, Eco-Products provides compostable foodservice packaging, including plates, bowls, trays, utensils, cups, straws, and more, available at all concession stands and premium areas. Fan participation in the compost program is highly accessible, as all waste bins within the arena feature a compost bin for easy disposal of plates, bowls, utensils, and food scraps.
Rip City members now have the opportunity to participate in a composting program that directly benefits Oregon farmers. After events, compost bins are carefully sorted to eliminate any contamination before local hauler COR Disposal & Recycling collects the compost. It is then delivered to Annen Brothers Inc., a fifth-generation Oregon farmer located near Mount Angel, Oregon. Annen Brothers processes the compost material into nutrient-rich soil, which is used for farming and growing Oregon hazelnuts.
Eco-Products has a longstanding history of collaborating with stadiums, venues, ski resorts, and others to achieve waste diversion success through the utilization of compostable packaging in front-of-house collection programs. They advocate for a systems approach to mitigate contamination, which has been formalized into the “CIRC” Program – a set of open-sourced tools designed to assist the foodservice industry in ensuring that non-compostable items stay out of organic waste streams.
For more information, please visit www.ecoproducts.com.