Plastics Help Sports Fans Celebrate Big Game Day with Less Waste

• Less Packaging: Look for multi-function packaging. For example, some prepared foods now are available in plastic packaging that keeps food fresh on store shelves, transforms into a convenient serving dish during the party, and re-seals to protect food during storage, creating less waste and clean up.

• Less Packaging Waste: Choose new minimalist packaging designs made with thin, lightweight plastics that protect food using less material, resulting in less packaging waste.  And lighter packaging means a lighter load and less fuel used when shipping food and drinks to stores.

• Less Food Waste: Don’t forget airtight plastic storage containers to help keep prepared foods fresh while transporting them to parties and tail gates. These durable, lightweight containers are easy to carry and also can be used as serving dishes, which results in less cleanup. Simply re-seal the container and refrigerate or freeze to preserve leftovers and prevent wasted food.

• More Streamlined Food Prep: Plastic kitchen tools help make game day food prep quicker and easier, so fans can spend more time enjoying the game and less in the kitchen. Usesilicone plastic mats and baking molds to help cooked foods slide out easily—they also can reduce the amount of added fats needed to make game day treats.

• More Recycled Plastics: It’s now easy to find kitchen tools made with recycled plasticsfrom used beverage bottles, yogurt containers, milk jugs, or other products. Look online or at local retailers for kitchenware made with recycled plastics, which increases demand for recycled plastics and helps keep valuable materials out of landfills.

• More Plastics Recycling: Consumers in more than 90 percent of the U.S. can recycle plastic beverage bottles and caps, and nearly 58 percent can recycle plastic containers from foods such as yogurt, dips, spreads, and sour cream. Place a clearly labeled recycling bin next to the trashcan to make it easy for game day guests to recycle. Plastic bags and wraps can be returned for recycling to participating retail stores, such as Target and Lowe’s.