All Resources
New Hanover, NC, Now Accepting New Materials for Recycling
Included among the materials that will be accepted for recycling now are paper-based items like to-go cups used at restaurants and coffee shops, along with cartons used to hold liquids like juice, milk or stocks and broths.
Community Partnership | Carolinas
FPI is working closely with local material recovery facilities (MRFs) and paper mills in North and South Carolina to add paper cups as an acceptable commodity for residential curbside recycling.
Community Partnership Program Results
Check out the successes that FPI’s Community Partners have had when adding foodservice packaging to their city and county recycling programs.
Press Release: CompostAble Chicago Study
The Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) and partners have released the CompostAble Chicago study, which examines several existing programs, the materials they recover, and the operating conditions that contribute to successful programs.
CompostAble Chicago Study
FPI and partners have released the CompostAble Chicago study report, which aimed to understand how the use of compostable foodservice packaging might correlate to increased capture of food scraps and reduced contamination.
How Cities are Strengthening Programs for Long-term Success
Representatives from cities large and small described the efforts they’ve made in the “Resiliency at the Local Level” session, held Aug. 16 as part of the Resource Recycling Conference held Aug. 15-17 in Austin, Texas.
Sonoco Expanding Residential Recycling of Paper Cups to SC Mill
Sonoco announced it is expanding post-consumer recovery and recycling opportunities for paper cups in bales of mixed paper to be used as raw material at its Hartsville, S.C., paperboard mill to produce new paperboard.
Managing Compostable FSP Webinar
Watch a webinar on "Managing Compostable Foodservice Packaging," which included speakers from FPI, the Biodegradable Products Institute, National Restaurant Association, and U.S. Composting Council.
Compostable FSP Literature Review
Check out resources related to the impacts to the composting value chain when introducing compostable foodservice packaging.
Study of North American Composting Facilities
FPI conducted a study of North American composting outlets for both residential and business generators of source separated organics. The purpose of the study was to identify composters accepting food scraps and to understand which facilities are willing and able to accept various compostable packaging materials.
Field Study on FSP as Compost Facility Feedstock
FPI, along with the Biodegradable Products Institute, funded a study to determine whether compostable foodservice packaging can be effectively used as a feedstock in commercial composting facilities. The results showed that these items performed as well as wood and other traditional feedstocks.
Compostable FSP Info Sheet
An overview of compostable packaging, residential collection, composter acceptance, and frequently asked questions.
PET Thermoform Study
This study estimates the total generation and recovery of PET thermoforms, explores the PET thermoform sorting and reclamation landscape, & determines potential pathways for PET thermoform recycling.
Find a Composter/Anaerobic Digestion Facility
There are a growing number of composters in the U.S. and Canada who accept foodservice packaging.
Plastic Cups Bale Sort Study (2015)
As part of the most comprehensive post-consumer plastic container bale sorts done in North Amercia, this plastic cups bale sort study conducted in 2015 showed which rigid plastic bales contained plastic cups as well as the plastic resin types and volumes of plastic cups in each bale type.
Current Acceptance of FSP
To get a better idea of the current acceptance of FSP by cities and/or MRFs in the U.S. and Canada, a benchmarking study was conducted in 2013. While the responses varied widely, the results were encouraging.
Foodservice Packaging in Mixed Paper Bales
To test the impact of paper foodservice packaging in mixed paper bales, a bale audit was conducted with bales purchased from New York City and Seattle markets.
Plastic Cups Bale Sort Study (2021)
To build on knowledge gained during prior studies, FPI participated in an audit to obtain a current snapshot of the prevalence of plastic cups in #3-#7 bales.
Projected Impact of FSP on Existing Bales
Adding foodservice packaging to existing bales makes very little difference to their composition. Learn more about the estimated prevalence of FSP in bales.