Solo Cup Company's Eco-ForwardTM Approach to Sustainability
Eco-forwardTM is a term unique to Solo. It expresses our ongoing commitment to
developing greener alternatives that contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future.
Single-use products play an important role in the safe and secure preparation, service, and consumption of foods and beverages. As a global supplier of single-use products in a variety of materials, Solo works to meet the demand for durable, affordable packaging that enhances consumers' food and beverage experience – while working toward sustainable solutions that optimize the use of recycled, recyclable, compostable or renewable resource materials.
Solo's commitment to sustainability rests on three pillars: options, investment and education. Today, there is no consensus on what is the most "environmentally friendly" choice in single-use foodservice products and every choice has a trade-off. Solo is focused on providing options to consumers and foodservice operators so they can make the choice that best fit their needs. BareTM by Solo® products offer choices for a greener lifestyle while maintaining the performance, quality and style customers and consumers demand. Solo has been on the cutting edge of the research and development of more sustainable materials since the mid-1990s. Solo will continue to invest in the future of sustainable foodservice packaging. Solo works to educate customers by providing information about the materials used in single-use packaging as well as disposal options for all Solo products. We believe this information will dispel myths and empower customers to make more effective choices.
Our Vision
Solo will be the company that enriches meal occasions and simplifies life with single-use products that our customers and their customers see as indispensable.
We will continually improve the sustainable options available to our customers and consumers through collaboration that leads to real solutions and education that leads to informed choices. Working together, we will reduce our environmental impact on the planet.
Our Enviromental Policy
Solo Cup is committed to protecting human health, natural resources, and the environment in which we live and operate. Our commitment extends beyond compliance with the law to include efforts to minimize the environmental impact of our operations and products. Continuous improvement through innovation to achieve superior environmentally sound results is the responsibility of all Solo employees. Together, our business can make a difference.
- Biodegradability and compostability are not the same thing.
- Biodegradable materials degrade through the action of naturally occurring microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi or algae without human intervention.
- Compostable materials degrade through controlled biological decomposition in the presence of water, heat and microorganisms to form an earthy material that can be added to the soil to provide food for plants.
- PET plastic is the plastic from which water bottles are made and is commonly recycled.
- Solo's PET and recycled PET products are made from bottle-grade PET.
- There is no universally accepted definition sustainability.
- BareTM by Solo® products can be found at most Target and Meijer stores nationwide.
- Solo's commitment to sustainability rests on three pillars: Options, Investment, and Education.
- Solo is a national sponsor of Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup.
- Nothing decomposes in landfills - they are designed to contain, not to degrade.
- Bio-resins are plant-based plastics made from renewable resources such as corn.
- "Eco-forwardTM" expresses Solo's ongoing commitment to developing foodservice packaging alternatives that contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future.
- PLA stands for polylactic acid, a corn-based material that offers an alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
- BareTM by Solo® products are made with post-consumer recycled plastic, renewable resources and/or compostable materials.
- BareTM by Solo® products were used to serve more than 100,000 Keep America Beautiful volunteers across the country in 2009.
