table with assorted different hummus boards

Zero waste events.

How and why we partnered with Hillside Solutions to become Omaha’s only zero waste catering company.

We love events. But we also know they can create a lot of excess. Every year, millions of tons of food are wasted, which ends up in landfills and harms our environment.

To solve this, we’ve become Omaha’s only zero waste catering company. Instead of landfilling our waste, we’re now treating trash like a resource.

Zero waste catering aims for recycling, composting, reducing and reusing 90% or more of waste produced during an event.

How your Zero waste event works.

From utensils to leftovers, we’re intentional about sustainability at every step of your event.

We donate.

Did you know that one in seven people in our community suffer from food insecurity? That’s over 80,000 people in Douglas County. And it’s why we donate any surplus food to Saving Grace, who quickly transports it to local food banks and other organizations that feed people in need.

5,275 lbs

Donated Annually

4,413 Meals Provided

Annually, we rescue an average of 5,275 pounds of perishable food from events. Not only do we prevent this food from ending up in landfills, but our partnership with Saving Grace also helped provide 4,413 meals at local food pantries. Each year, we recycle over 8,000 pounds of plastic and aluminum, over 11,000 pounds of cardboard and fiber, and over 5,000 pounds of glass—and we compost more than 28,000 pounds of waste.

We minimize waste and maximize recyclability.

When possible, we utilize reusable dishware to cut down on the carbon footprint of single-use materials. And when single-use materials are unavoidable, we separate cardboard, cans, bottles and soft plastics to maximize the amount of material that will be recycled.

The Problem

Most companies recycle the wrong way, through mistakenly trying to recycle the wrong things or adding food/liquids to the mix, which lessen the quality of recyclable materials. This is called contamination, and when there’s too much contamination, stuff just ends up in the landfill. The new and more robust way to recycle is called “dual-stream.” It means a company separates cardboard from other conventionally recycled materials (plastics, paper, and metals.

The Solution

Our switch from single-stream to dual-stream recycling means that more of our materials will get recycled. We have one bin for cardboard and paper, one bin for cans and bottles and another for soft plastics using the RenewBag program. Our separated materials are delivered to Omaha’s most reputable materials recovery facility, First Star Recycling, maximizing the chance for our materials to be actually recycled.
The Problem

It may come as a surprise to learn that soft plastics (like chip bags and plastic straws) and styrofoam (like take-out containers) aren’t recyclable through conventional means. When they wind up at recycling centers, they slow down the sorting process & wind up in the landfill.

The Solution

We collect soft plastics separately and ship them to a pyrolysis plant to be safely melted (without sediment output) into diesel, which is then used in trucks or turned into other plastic products.

We transform food waste
into soil.

We collect all food waste (excess food that cannot be donated due to safety concerns) and other compostable materials from your event, and send them to a local composting facility to be transformed into nutrient-dense soil for our community.

The Problem

The majority of what’s in a landfill (i.e. dump) is organic material, which is compostable. Here are 3 negative effects of compostables in the landfill:
- Methane: Release of methane gas, which is 102x worse than CO2.
- Space: They take up space, which shortens lifespan of landfills.
- Leachate: Moisture & water in these materials mix with everything else to produce a toxic sludge called leachate, which can get into waterways, kill fish & harm us.
The Solution

Instead of sending our food waste and compostable materials to the landfill, we send this material to their commercial composting facility where it’s turned into nutrient-dense soil that winds up in gardens and farms around our community.

Above all, we commit!

All the best practices in the world only make a difference when people commit to them. That’s why we train our team thoroughly to excel in sustainable practices and ensure your event runs smoothly with minimal waste. Our dedicated staff is passionate about reducing our environmental impact and helping our community. By choosing Catering Creations for your event, you’re not just getting exceptional service and delicious food—you’re also contributing to a healthier planet and a stronger community. Together, we can make every event a step towards a more sustainable future.
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Zero waste events.

How your Zero waste event works.

We donate.

We minimize waste and maximize recyclability.

We transform food waste into soil.

Above all, we commit!

We transform food waste
into soil.