Eco-Products® has become an Official Zero Waste Partner of the San Diego Padres, strengthening a relationship that supports Petco Park’s composting program and the team’s efforts to divert more gameday waste from landfills. 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,” said Wendell Simonson, general manager of Eco-Products. “What began with a conversation about field testing grew into a coordinated effort with the Padres, Delaware North and Republic Services.”
“With millions of fans coming through our gates year-round, Petco Park has a civic duty to prioritize environmentally responsible practices,” said Padres chief operating officer 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.”
In 2023, Eco-Products, Delaware North and Republic Services’ Otay composting facility worked together to select and field test a set of BPI-Certified compostable products for concessions inside the park. The process resulted in the approval of a broad range of bioplastic and fiber-based items for use inside Petco Park.
With field testing complete, the Padres officially launched their new composting program in 2025 that includes two-stream waste bins throughout Petco Park to capture compostable and recyclable materials and reduce landfill waste. The two-bin system streamlines waste management by giving fans marked bins for recyclables and compostable food scraps and foodservice items, effectively eliminating the need for landfill receptacles. Petco Park’s janitorial team then sorts the collected material and removes contamination.
In 2025, the Padres diverted a total of 2,002.8 tons of waste from the landfill, including 46.6 tons of food donated to Father Joe’s Mission and 856.1 tons of food and compostable serviceware going to Republic’s compost facility.
Published June 2026