Eco-Products has officially partnered with the San Diego Padres in a bid to support composting and recycling streams at their home stadium and divert gameday waste away from landfills.
Back in 2023, Eco-Products worked alongside Delaware North and Republic Services’ Otay composting facility to select and field-test BPI-certified compostable products for on-site concessions at Petco Park stadium.
After multiple rounds of testing in line with the Compostable Field Testing Program’s protocol, the companies were able to approve multiple bioplastic and fibre-based materials for use at Petco Park.
The San Diego Padres subsequently launched a new composting programme in 2025. This includes two-stream waste bins located throughout Petco Park – designed to clearly separate recyclables, compostables, and foodservice items into separate waste streams.
This approach is set to avoid contamination and allow Petco Park’s janitorial team to sort compostable and recyclable materials for appropriate disposal. It is also expected to reduce landfill waste and negate the need for landfill receptacles.
Reportedly, this initiative successfully diverted a total of 2,002.8 tons of waste from landfill last year, with 856.1 tons of food and compostable serviceware sent to Republic Services’ composting facility.
Now Eco-Products has been named an Official Zero Waste Partner of the San Diego Padres to solidify the ongoing collaboration.
Eco-Products highlights its system-based approach to avoiding contamination, as per its open-source Controls Intended to Remove Contamination (CIRC) Program. This framework is designed to help the foodservice industry keep non-compostable products out of organic waste streams.
“The effort at Petco Park reflects years of collaboration among organizations that are committed to getting the details right,” said Wendell Simonson, general manager of Eco-Products. “What began with a conversation about field testing in 2022 grew into a coordinated effort with the Padres, Delaware North and Republic Services to support composting across Petco Park.
“Compostable packaging can be very effective when there is a system in place to support it. That means choosing the right products, confirming they work for the composter and designing collection programs that manage contamination. The collaboration required to make all of that happen is the hardest part and the thing we’re most proud of here.”
“With millions of fans coming through our gates year-round, Petco Park has a civic duty to prioritize environmentally responsible practices,” continued Caroline Perry, COO of the San Diego Padres. “Our partnership with Eco-Products will expand access to compostable foodservice packaging and play a key role in diverting waste from our landfills, reinforcing our commitment to a more sustainable San Diego.”
“Reducing waste at a venue the size of Petco Park requires a coordinated approach – from the materials used by our concession teams to how waste is collected, sorted and processed,” said Debbie Friedel, director of Sustainability for Delaware North. “Working with Eco–Products supports the broader zero–waste system the Padres, Republic Services and our operations teams have built together to improve diversion and reduce landfill waste.”
“Republic Services delivers diversion solutions at Petco Park through continued investments and innovation in organics recycling,” added Jesus Torres, general manager of Republic Services. “Partnering with Eco–Products and Delaware North supports our commitment to sustainability and helps drive meaningful environmental outcomes.”
In similar news, PepsiCo previously teamed up with the San Francisco 49ers have introduce reusable cups at Levi’s Stadium. Fans are invited to return their used cups to designated bins, where the vessels are collected, sanitized and re-distributed for reuse.
Allianz Stadium also worked with Notpla and Levy to pilot a biodegradable drinks carrier at the England XV v France XV rugby match in June 2025. This partnership was thought to replace over 100,000 single-use items across food packaging and cutlery, and the collaborators set their sights in introducing home-compostable packaging into live stadium service at scale.
Since then, Mother of Pearl Vodka has announced that it will serve drinks in Frugalpac’s paper bottles for live events at Suncorp Stadium. The partners anticipate that a similar system will be implemented for the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.
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