SEA-TAC Airport Moves to All Reusable or Compostable Foodservice Materials

Starting this month, all tenants at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) who provide foodservice in the terminal must now use only reusable or approved compostable foodservice ware and packaging, the Port of Seattle announced today.

This includes restaurants with sit-down service, tenants with to-go service, lounges, and catering groups. In support of SEA’s goal to divert 60% of all terminal waste from landfills, SEA is working with tenants to ensure that all noncompostable products like cups, bowls, and utensils are replaced by approved products.

“Last year, the Port came closer to our 60% waste diversion goal, ending the year at 48% at SEA. This transition will help us reach that goal even sooner," said Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins. “Reusable and compostable products support local efforts to recover organic waste, reduce single-use plastics, and improve the quality of our recycling at SEA, while still providing an elevated customer dining experience.”

SEA has had foodware service rules in place since 2017. However, this new requirement now eliminates plastic and plastic-lined service ware in favor of certified compostable alternatives. The initiative will help capture more food waste for composting, ease sorting confusion for travelers, and prevent food-contaminated products from ending up in the wrong place. 

Existing efforts have already led to 1,394 tons of waste being collected for composting in 2023 alone. That’s a third of the waste SEA diverts from landfill each year, and these changes will push that figure higher.

Prior to implementation, some tenants had already transitioned to compostable materials in anticipation of this requirement. Notably, HMSHost — which operates numerous businesses in the airport — and the independent restaurant Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max made the transition well in advance. SEA has been working alongside tenant partners to develop a plan that prioritizes sustainability and still works for everyone.

“It’s important we all do our part and be conscious about where we source our food to the packaging we utilize, because it affects us all,” said Max Heigh, founder of Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max. “We think it’s our responsibility to do as much as we can to look out for future generations.”

SEA’s composting process

Approved compostable products are plant-based. Commercial compost facilities can break them down for use in agriculture or landscaping. In the case of SEA, all certified products are approved by Compost Manufacturing Alliance, a third-party group that ensures they’re free of toxins and meet composting standards. SEA sends its compost to the Cedar Grove facility in Maple Valley, Washington, to be processed into soil. Once ready, SEA purchases the soil for landscaping and construction projects.

About Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Operated by the Port of Seattle, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) serves the people of the Pacific Northwest with essential services, access to hundreds of domestic and global destinations, and economic activity that supports tens of thousands of jobs and produces $22 billion in economic activity. 

SEA has earned the highest U.S. ranking in Skytrax’s World’s Top 100 Airports for the third year in a row, two consecutive years as Best Airport in North America (2022/2023), and a 4-Star Skytrax Rating, focused on customer-centered travel with better services, facilities, and amenities.