The partnership builds on years of collaboration to advance composting and waste diversion across Petco Park.
Eco-Products, a Boulder, Colorado, certified B Corp. and food service packaging company, has been named an official zero waste partner of the San Diego Padres, supporting Petco Park’s composting program and the team’s efforts to divert more gameday waste from landfills.
The Major League Baseball (MLB) team’s home venue is Petco Park. Eco-Products takes a systems approach to waste diversion, helping venue operations teams, foodservice partners, waste haulers and composters work together to keep non-compostable items out of the compost stream.
“The effort at Petco Park reflects years of collaboration among organizations that are committed to getting the details right,” says Wendell Simonson, Eco-Products general manager. “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.”
In 2023, Eco-Products, Delaware North and Pheonix-headquartered Republic Services’ Otay composting facility worked together to select and field test a set of BPI-Certified compostable products for concessions inside the park. Multiple rounds of field testing took place over the next two years following the protocol outlined by the Compostable Field Testing Program. Eco-Products says the process resulted in the approval of a broad range of bioplastic and fiber-based items for use inside Petco Park.
“With millions of fans coming through our gates year-round, Petco Park has a civic duty to prioritize environmentally responsible practices,” says Padres COO Caroline Perry. “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.”
With field testing complete, the Padres officially launched their new composting program in 2025, including two-stream waste bins throughout Petco Park to capture compostable and recyclable materials and reduce landfill waste. Eco-Products says the two-bin system streamlines waste management by giving fans clearly marked bins for recyclables and compostable food scraps and foodservice items, eliminating the need for landfill receptacles. Petco Park’s janitorial team sorts the collected material and removes contamination.
“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,” says Debbie Friedel, Delaware North director of sustainability. “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.”
In 2025, Eco-Products says the Padres diverted 2,002.8 tons of waste from landfill, including 46.6 tons of food donated and 856.1 tons of food and compostable serviceware going to Republic Services’ compost facility.
“Republic Services delivers diversion solutions at Petco Park through continued investments and innovation in organics recycling,” says Jesus Torres, Republic Services general manager. “Partnering with Eco‑Products and Delaware North supports our commitment to sustainability and helps drive meaningful environmental outcomes.”
Eco-Products says it has worked with ballparks, stadiums, ski resorts and other venues to improve waste diversion by pairing compostable packaging with front-of-house collection programs. Eco-Products advocates for a systems-based approach to reducing contamination, reflected in its Controls Intended to Remove Contamination (CIRC) Program—a set of open-source tools designed to help the foodservice industry keep non-compostables out of organics streams.
“Compostable packaging can be very effective when there is a system in place to support it,” Simonson adds. “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.”