Communities

Case Studies

Palo Alto  •  Torrance  •  Redding

Learn how communities beyond California are recovering foodservice packaging on FPI’s recovery website.

Webinars

Community Partnerships Webinar
Since its launch in 2017, FPI’s Community Partnership Program has impacted hundreds of communities and enabled over 5.4 million households to recycle their cups and containers. Watch this webinar to learn about the partnership approach, resources available to communities, and impact from actual community partners.

Webinar Recording: Research Findings
This webinar featured research findings from several FPI-supported studies including recovery of PET thermoforms, PP cups, paper cups, and the impact of food residue on take-out packaging recycling.

Webinar Recording: Insights into Effective Resident Education
This webinar shared findings from the 2022 nationwide survey that gauged the effect of images, language and special instructions in communicating with residents about recycling take-out containers like paper and plastic cups, pizza boxes, and clamshells.

Plastic Cup & Container Recycling Update Webinar
Learn about recent research on PET and PP recycling, information on bale specifications, insights on the latest material sorting in MRFs, and examples of transforming recycled plastics into new products in this webinar.

Webinar Recording: Recycling Pizza Boxes, Paper Cups, and other Paper-Based Takeout Containers
Hear from representatives from a material recovery facility (MRF), a paper mill, and a community who are recycling pizza boxes, paper cups, and other paper-based takeout packaging. Learn how they they are able to recycle these materials, the impacts of food residue, and the importance of strong and continuous resident education. Click here to watch the webinar.

Community Outreach

Community Partner Program
The goal of FPI’s Community Partnership program is to add a suite of foodservice packaging to curbside recycling and/or composting programs in vetted communities. Success in partner communities can provide model programs and lay the foundation for greater acceptance in curbside programs nationwide. Click here to learn more about the program. Check out the successes that FPI’s Community Partners have had when adding foodservice packaging to their city and county recycling programs.

Resident Education Kit
Click here to access our Resident Education Kit, which features a customizable flyer, an image gallery of clean and empty foodservice packaging items, and best practices for referring to recyclables. 

Research and Studies

Food Residue Study
Some communities have expressed concern about adding foodservice packaging to a recycling program because of food residue. But, a recent study has shown that foodservice packaging is no more contaminated with food than other commonly recycled food-contact items like bottles, jars or cans. Read more about the 2022 study. This topic is also addressed in the broader research findings webinar featured under the Webinars section.

Residential Composting & Foodservice Packaging: Eight Program Case Studies
This study examines the diversity of existing residential curbside collection programs for food scraps and compostable packaging. FPI analyzed eight exemplary programs to gain a deeper understanding of their key features, identify the main challenges they face, and highlight their successful strategies.

Current Acceptance of Foodservice Packaging for Recycling in California 
To understand the extent of acceptance and recycling of foodservice packaging in California, FPI commissioned two studies. Taken together, they highlight an opportunity to increase recovery by aligning residential program guidance with MRF acceptance. Click here to learn more.

Polypropylene Recovery
Markets for postconsumer polypropylene are on the rise. Read more about polypropylene recovery and end market demand for this resin.

The State of Paper Cup Recycling
A new white paper, authored by Moore & Associates, delves into the evolving landscape of paper cup recovery efforts in the U.S. and Canada including recycling challenges, technical aspects of material sorting and processing, and end markets utilizing recovered cups.

Foodservice Packaging Composting in California
To better understand the current role of compostable foodservice packaging in food waste diversion in California, the Foodservice Packaging Institute funded two studies in 2017 with a focus on residential collection and processing of these materials. Read more here.