The Solo Cup Co., Allied Waste, Free Green Can and Levy Restaurants have announced a partnership with the Chicago Cubs to boost recycling efforts at the Cubs’ Wrigley Field baseball park.
Through the program, the parties expect to divert roughly 165,000 pounds of cardboard and plastic out toward recycling purposes. Through the program, fans can deposit any plastic cups at specially marked recycling containers throughout the park. The plastic cups collected will be recycled into a variety of products.
Solo Cup, the exclusive cup of Wrigley Field, is the sponsor of the “Real Fans Recycle” initiative. Cups used at the park will include 20 percent recycled PET. The cups can also be recycled through a program made available by Allied Waste.
In addition, fans will be using 100 percent recycled napkins, compostable plates and cutlery.
“We commend the Chicago Cubs, Levy Restaurants, Free Green Can and Allied Waste for their willingness to work with us on an end-to-end solution that will make a real difference in the amount of solid waste diverted from landfills at Wrigley Field this year. This can be a model for what other sports venues across the country can achieve,” says Kim Frankovich, vice president of sustainability for Solo Cup. “Cubs fans can help us make this program a success by putting their plastic cups and bottles in the recycling bins separate from other trash.”
“Allied Waste of Chicago is proud to partner with the Chicago Cubs efforts to keep Wrigley Field a green and clean venue for Major League Baseball,” said John Larsen, general manager, Allied Waste. “Allied Waste and the Cubs are continually improving recycling programs to make it easy for fans to participate and do the right thing for the environment all year round.”
Outside the park, fans will find 25 dual-purpose Free Green Cans outside Wrigley Field, providing year-round public recycling opportunities.