Sustainable Procurement Category Information | Compostable Food Service Ware

Key Category Guidelines and Goals

UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines set specific standards for Compostable food service containers and packages and prefer that they have recycled and/or sustainably harvested content. Purchasing of compostable food service ware must adhere to the following minimum standards:

• Must be certified Compostable by Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) or Green Seal GS-35
• Or, made 100% from uncoated, unlined, obviously plant-based material and appear on the Cedar Grove Accepted Items List for Commercial Compostability.

Over and above the minimum standard, UC has set additional goals for the purchase of compostable food service ware, as shown in the Guidelines.

General Criteria 

Some Environmental, Economic, and Social sustainability criteria are applicable across all or most different product or service categories. Refer to the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines for general criteria required for applicable categories that must be included in the specifications for all relevant solicitations and contracts.

Other Resources 

• UC Sustainable Foodservice
• UC Global Food Initiative
• UC Healthy Vending Policy - Implementation and Best Practices Toolkit (2018)
• Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (all UC are members; contact your SPWG rep for details) 
• Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
• Cedar Grove Accepted Items List for Commercial Compostability