Chiefs tackle landfill waste with help from MARC Solid Waste-funded compost biodigesters

According to industry experts, the average NFL stadium generates over 80,000 pounds of trash each game. And that doesn’t include the trash and waste from tailgating, a favorite pastime – it’s just from the interior concessions the organization and its vendors produce. Landfills release massive amounts of methane gas into the atmosphere. And over a third of all landfill waste is compostable!

This initiative, funded in part by a grant from the MARC Solid Waste Management District, aims to significantly reduce landfill waste generated from stadium concessions and fans. The partnership represents a commitment from the team towards environmental stewardship and slowing regional landfill use, a priority of the MARC Solid Waste Management District and focus of the 2024 Regional Landfill Capacity study. 

The new composting biodigesters are designed to transform organic waste from stadium concessions into nutrient-rich compost. This process not only minimizes the amount of waste sent to landfills but also contributes to the production of valuable compost that can be used to enrich local soils. The compost will be used on the orchard and garden beds at Arrowhead and also shared with Kansas City Community Gardens. All in all, the organization expects to reduce landfill waste by 30% in the next year.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect, as our region gears up to host six matches during the World Cup in 2026. That’s like adding six additional capacity-crowd regular season games to Arrowhead Stadium’s calendar during the summer off-season. However, thanks to long-standing recycling practices and new innovations, the stadium is ready to meet this challenge.

By reducing the environmental footprint of these large-scale events, the Chiefs are not just contributing to FIFA’s sustainability goals for the event, but also providing a global showcase of our region’s commitment to waste reduction. With the eyes of the world on Kansas City and our 15 North American cohort venues in 2026, we are proud to stand alongside our regional partners in championing a cleaner and greener way of doing business.

The Mid-America Regional Council Solid Waste Management District serves as a regional solid waste planning agency for local governments in Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte and Ray counties in Missouri — and works cooperatively with Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami and Wyandotte counties. It also serves residents, businesses and non-profits throughout the Kansas City region.