Centerplate has announced the introduction of a completely biodegradable food service solution for the Dallas Convention Center. Under the new program, all of the facility's disposable food service items from cups to flatware to napkins will be 100 percent biodegradable, dramatically reducing the environmental impact of the site's menu operations. The biodegradable products are currently being phased in to the Center's operations with a targeted completion date of January 2010 for all of the new items to be fully implemented.
The initiative taps Centerplate's experience in implementing eco-friendly food service programs from its recent work helping the University of Colorado at Boulder convert its Folsom Field football stadium into a zero-waste facility. For the Dallas Convention Center, the biodegradable program augments the site's position as one of the most environmentally sound convention venues in the nation and one of the few to achieve the elite ISO 14001:2004 certification, an international environmental standard which helps organizations limit the negative impact of their operations on the environment.
Among the new biodegradable products being introduced are cutlery made from potato starch; clear colored, corn-based cups for beer and soda; plates, bowls and to-go containers made from sugarcane pulp; hot cups that are lined with plant-based plastic; and compostable lines for trash receptacles.