This Sunday is the Super Bowl, and for many households that means snacks, drinks and gathering around the TV. It can also mean a lot of waste. With a few simple choices, you can keep game-day trash to a minimum and make sure everything ends up in the right cart. 

MVP: Organics recycling
Food scraps and food-soiled paper are the real MVPs of game day. Use the green organics cart for food scraps, pizza crusts (and boxes), avocado peels, napkins and paper towels. Composting food waste helps reduce landfill methane and keeps organic material in use.  

Recycling lineup 
Put empty bottles, cans and hard plastics in the blue recycling cart, along with clean paper and cardboard. Make sure containers are empty and free of food or liquids before tossing them in. Keeping recycling clean helps prevent contamination and ensures materials can be processed properly. 

Play defense against recycling contamination 
Food and liquids are the biggest opponents of good recycling. If an item is dirty, greasy or you’re unsure, keep it out of the blue recycling cart. When in doubt, it’s better to place something in the trash than contaminate an entire load of recycling. 

The last play: The landfill 
Some items can’t be recycled or composted. Plastic wrap, chip bags and foam containers should go in the grey trash cart. Reducing these items when possible helps limit what ends up in the landfill. 

Never pour fats, oils or grease down the sink or drain. Let them cool, collect them in a sealed container and place them in the trash to help protect sewer lines.

Extra tips for a more sustainable game day
A few small plays can make a difference:

• Use reusable plates, cups and utensils instead of disposables.
• Set up clearly labeled bins to make sorting easy for guests.
• Choose drinks in recyclable containers and skip single-use plastics when possible.
• Save leftovers to reduce food waste after the game.

Making the right calls at home helps keep waste programs working and supports a cleaner community long after the final whistle.

More information
What Goes Where webpage