Zero Waste Food Vendor Guidelines

Thank you for participating in the 2015 Evergreen State Fair! We are proud to be in second year of a three year plan to make it Evergreen State Fair a Zero Waste event, and the Evergreenest Fair Ever!

With your help, we can reach our goal of a Zero Waste Fair by only distributing materials to Fair visitors that are recyclable, compostable or reusable. The Zero Waste initiative helps minimize the Fair’s environmental impact and operational costs, and last year an estimated 40 tons of Fair waste was diverted from the landfill through the new emphasis on composting and recycling. Going Zero Waste also enhances the Fair experience for visitors. In 2014, 97% of the 363 visitors surveyed at the 2014 Fair said the Zero Waste initiative improved their Fair experience.

Food vendors play a key role in the Zero Waste effort, as a large proportion of the waste generated during the Fair is food related.

The Evergreen State Fair will be supporting the Zero Waste effort by:

·  Providing over 100 Zero Waste Stations throughout the fairgrounds

·  Staffing Zero Waste Stations with trained community members during peak fair visitor hours

·  Providing compost bins at vendor sites for Pre-Consumer organic waste as appropriate

·  Providing education, incentives and recognition for vendors and visitors throughout the Fair

·  Contracting for waste pick-up, and coordinating on-site waste management

Please contact Caryl Munn, Fair Operations Supervisor or Lisa Dulude, Energy and Sustainability Manager with any questions on complying with the Compostable Food Service Policy.

-  Caryl Munn: 360-805-6706

-  Garrison Marr: 425-388-3965

Basic Guidance for Acceptable Food Service Materials at Evergreen State Fair

For specific products, use either FSA approved products on the attached sheet, or verify product is acceptable by Cedar Grove Composting facility (http://cedar-grove.com/compostable/accepted- items/)

Acceptable / Not Acceptable
Paper containers including plates, trays, food boats, napkins, paper towels, and bags that do not have a plastic liner. Cedar Grove has complete listing. / Plastic coated paper products are not acceptable. Many paper products are coated with plastic liners that are not compostable.
Compostable potato, corn starch, or sugarcane tubs, cups, containers, lids, clamshells, utensils (spoons, forks, knives) and straws. Must be on Cedar Grove approved list. / Plastic cups, containers, lids, utensils, or straws.
Wooden stir-sticks, chopsticks, toothpicks, and skewers. Must be plain without plastic components. / Plastic stir sticks, chopsticks, toothpicks, or skewers.
Aluminum cans, recyclable plastic bottles. / Foil drink pouches
Paper bags and reusable bags / Plastic bags and plastic wrap
Reusable “souvenir” cups or buckets. Souvenir items must be sufficiently durable or unique to be reasonably expected to kept and reused by visitors. / Styrofoam plates, cups, or related service ware.
Prepackaged foods in non-recyclable material, such as chip bags, ice cream wrappers, cellophane and condiment packets.

Cash and Carry, Costco, and Food Services of America (FSA) are just a few vendors that carry compostable packaging products.

To place orders with FSA contact Steve Beck at 425-512-2156 or steven_. You can also call the FSA order line at 425-249-4944.