Container formula volume v. weights

Conversion factors

Material Type Density (lb/cu yd)
Trash                       450  (sorted = 100lbs)

Mixed Paper              600   

Bottle & Can             500   

Commingled              425
(Paper and Bottle & Can)       

Cardboard                 400   

Food Scraps              1000  (dumpster is nothing BUT food scraps, very dense)
Event Food scraps      500   (dumpster contains paper supplies, bioplastics, food scraps)

Yard Trimmings          344   

Wood                       200   

Use this conversion when toters are used in conjunction with or in place of dumpsters
Container size           Gallons to cubic yards   
96-gallon toter          0.48   
64-gallon toter          0.32   
32-gallon toter          0.16   


Diversion Rate Calculation. Put your weights in here:   
Total Trash:   
Total Recycled:   
Total Composted:   
Total Generation (Trash, Recycling, Composting):   
Diversion Rate: Add compost + recycling, divide by total weight of T + R + C = diversion!

Food vendor information

General info

• Styrofoam is completely banned at all Bay Area public events – there may be pockets of resistance, but at no Green Mary event is styrofoam an option.
• All San Francisco public events require composting as well as recycling as of October 29, 2009.
• Unless you hear otherwise, our events all have full composting of all acceptable organic, biodegradable matter.
• We have full systems for food vendors and attendees to put food scraps and food-related service items in the appropriate containers, and sorting behind the scenes ensures maximum diversion.
• We, along with many others, highlight the need to get our water locally, not stored and shipped in plastic bottles, so are providing free water refill stations. We suggest that you do not bring bottled water to sell.
• Please educate yourself on the realities of plastics and packaging and the truth about plastics recycling – it’s not enough to toss our plastic bottles into the blue bin any longer. We all have to aim higher for our oceans and human health.
• Think waste reduction, including the reduction of packaging, optional food service supplies such as straws and lids and how to pass on your food and beverages in the lightest fashion possible. For example, the best beverage options are bulk liquids dispensed from large containers into reusable or recyclable cups. You save on storage space and weight in transporting by using our filtered water on-site.

By location:

• In Sonoma County, we have a compost facility that no longer takes bioplastic materials – no plastics made of corn or potato, which now include cups, utensils, to-go containers, and biobags made of polylactic acid. There is a process being investigated and perfected that removes petroleum particles from the process, but as of Jan. 1, 2010, they are not up to the OMRI codes this facility adheres to. Nor can we put any paper products that are LINED with plastic, no shiny coating anywhere, not “biodegradable coating,” nor petroleum waxy coating. (see best choices below)

We leave it up to you to make the best choices as these items are under increasing scrutiny regarding their true “biodegradability.” (see below)

Unless you hear otherwise, Green Mary will be hauling the organic waste including all bioplastics to bring to an out-of-county facility for composting as we work toward more sustainable options.

• In San Francisco and the East Bay, we can accept all bioplastics in the compost.
• On the peninsula, there is no composting of bioplastics.
• In San Jose, all bioplastics can go in the compost bins.

Bioplastics Update

• Our Sonoma County Recycling Guide for 2009 will be listing bioplastics as “neither recyclable NOR compostable,” as they do not break all the way back down to life, but leave trace particles.
• The bioplastics are often not clearly labeled and there is great inconsistency in the industry and an overall lack of communication between key players, from manufacturers to the standards settings and end composting facilities.
• They are fossil-fuel intensive in the growing of the organic material and in the shipping of them as well.
• They are shipped great distances, from field to manufacturer to distributor to end user, to be used for a very short time, a fork for perhaps five minutes.
• It is also the case that when bioplastics go to a landfill rather than to a compost facility, they generate MORE greenhouse gases than their petroleum-counterparts. In breaking down much more quickly, part of that breaking down is methane gas. So if the bioplastics do not go to a formal compost facility, they may be contribute more to climate change in the immediate than their conventional alternatives.
• The corn could have been used as feed stock rather than as a fork, and much of it is now genetically modified. We share this so you can make your best decision, fully informed.

Best choices for food vendors

Many food vendors are now relying on reusable wares, investing in real bowls, silver ware, cups and plates and are thus creating much more sustainable systems that rely on reuse rather than recycling, composting or trashing.

Here we list the best choices in order:

• Offer discounts to those who bring their own supplies – have wax paper on hand to place down on your customer’s plate or bowl to ensure no contact with that surface.
• Reusables – bring enough for the day and take them away to wash in an industrial dishwasher that reaches temperatures of over 180 degrees to ensure sanitization.
• Bagasse paper food service supplies – purchase and use these paper supplies that are made from sugar cane trimmings, and are completely tree-free. They are typically not coated with any waxy lining, but make sure before bringing them here, or it will all go to the landfill.
• Recycled content paper products – More distributors are carrying 30-100% recycled content paper products, the higher RCP the better.
• Purchase unbleached paper products
• Tree-free or recycled content cups for all liquids, steer away from plastics whenever possible.
• You decide between bioplastics and petroleum plastics for utensils, to-go containers and cups and we will understand that we’re all doing what we believe is best.

If you need any assistance finding or purchasing food service supplies for any other Bay Area event, contact Green Mary.

Visit the website www.green-mary.com, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 707-548-7582