Beyond Game Day: How WM is Building Lasting Sustainability at the 2026 MLB® All-Star Game

Photo courtesy of Major League Baseball (MLB) 

As Major League Baseball®’s 2026 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard heads to Philadelphia, WM is working behind the scenes — and out front with fans — to help make one of the sport’s biggest events more sustainable.

From operations at Citizens Bank Park – a WM waste services customer -- to fan engagement at All-Star Village, WM’s advisory services team is helping reduce waste, increase material recovery and apply lessons from past events. Planning for this year began last fall, with a continued focus on lasting impact beyond the event.

Because the All-Star Game moves cities each year, WM must quickly understand each ballpark’s operations while delivering a consistent, high-performing program that can be carried into future host venues. Over the course of four days of on-field events, set-up and tear-down, WM will have an eight-person advisory services team on-site, supporting operations at All-Star Village and Citizens Bank Park.

This year’s focus includes:

• Optimizing waste diversion across All-Star events, including the T-Mobile Home Run Derby and game day
• Capturing hard-to-recycle materials like plastic film during event setup (“load-in”)
• Managing materials during teardown (“load-out”), including furniture, electronics and broadcast equipment
• Hand-sorting materials on-site to improve recovery and reduce contamination
• Supporting the introduction of souvenir cups made from recycled materials, demonstrating how everyday purchasing decisions can contribute to circularity

Building a legacy beyond All-Star Week

WM is also focused on changes that remain in place after the event.

That includes helping the Phillies expand its food recovery program and re-label fan-facing waste and recycling bins to provide clearer guidance on where to place items and support better outcomes in future games and seasons.

As Kristin Hanczor, who manages WM’s advisory services relationship with MLB®, noted, the goal is not just to execute the event, but to “set up that process… and leave that as a legacy.”

Since being named MLB’s first Official Sustainability Partner in 2024, WM has worked with the league to develop sustainability goals across areas like waste diversion, energy use, transportation – including efforts to encourage fans to take public transit – and shifting select event materials to more sustainable options like recycled-content products.

Photo courtesy of Major League Baseball (MLB) 

Managing complexity behind the scenes and beyond the ballpark

Large-scale events like the All-Star Game bring together many moving parts — from stadium staff to vendors to broadcast crews — each with their own materials and processes. Multiple broadcast groups, often on site for more than a week, operate independently with their own equipment, catering and waste streams.

WM’s advisory services team helps connect those dots, coordinating across groups and serving as a central resource for managing materials responsibly. As Hanczor explained, “People know the WM team on-site — and can come to us and say, ‘can you help solve this?’”

WM’s role also extends beyond Citizens Bank Park.

During All-Star Week, the company is supporting All-Star Village, a four-day fan festival at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, applying similar strategies in a separate setting.

Engaging fans: Woodsy Owl takes the stage

Photo courtesy of the National Waste & Recycling Foundation: Woodsy Owl stands beside the “Skip the Bin—Turn Your Batteries In” Airstream exhibit.

WM is also connecting directly with fans — working with National Waste & Recycling Foundation (NWRF) to bring Woodsy Owl to All-Star Village.

Woodsy Owl — America’s iconic conservation mascot known for “Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute” — is part of NWRF’s new national campaign, “Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In,” promoting proper battery disposal.

At All-Star Village, WM, the foundation and Woodsy will host an interactive space featuring his signature Airstream trailer, where visitors can learn what items contain batteries and why batteries should not be thrown in trash or recycling. 

Fans are encouraged to:

• Stop by the Woodsy booth to learn more and drop off batteries
• Visit BatterySafetyNow.org to find safe drop-off locations

Why It Matters

WM recently added a fourth rule to its Recycle Right® program: No batteries in the recycling or trash.

Improperly disposed of batteries can spark fires in trucks and recycling facilities, creating serious safety risks. With battery use continuing to grow, awareness and proper disposal are critical.

While All-Star Week lasts just a few days, it’s a message WM hopes fans take home — and act on.

• Learn more about why the fourth recycling rule is critical

_{Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com.}