Dive Brief:

• The Minnesota Twins recently contracted with a firm to provide it with biodegradable cups and utensils for use by fans at Target Field. EcoProducts, of Boulder, CO is providing the biodegradable items.
• Ingeo, a resin-like product made from corn starch, is the main ingredient in EcoProducts’ biodegradable wares.
• The Twins’ decision to use the biodegradable items should improve the team’s playing field waste diversion rate, which is 73%. The Twins hope to achieve a 90% waste diversion rate at the field.

Dive Insight:

Biodegradable cups, plates, and utensils are an important part of the constantly changing waste and recycling industry. But biodegradables only "work" if they are able to break down and decompose. In a typical landfill, that process requires injection of water, monitoring, and venting of methane gas. Even so, many existing landfills are not employing this process, leaving the waste contained within intact, and not decomposing.