Summer festivals are fantastic events built
around fun, food and music. And while they offer great experiences for all
attendees, they can be quite challenging for event organisers to put on. Not
only is there a lot to consider in terms of facilities, setup and logistics,
there is a huge amount of waste to deal with afterwards. The nature of the event means that many
festival-goers tend to leave food packaging and drinks around, and there are
often many tents and personal items left behind.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at
rubbish clearance and waste management at festivals and events – and what you
can do to ensure that your site is as clean, safe and environmentally friendly
as possible.
It’s also worth pointing out that holding an
event that is eco-friendly in its waste removal methods isn’t just great for
the environment - it’s also good for business. Read on for more tips on how to
make it happen.
Encourage festival-goers to
dispose of waste in the right places
Make it easy for attendees to get rid of waste
in the right place by setting up bright and colourful waste stations around the
festival. Use different colours and big labels to differentiate the recycling
bins and include lots of signs on the premises encouraging people to get rid of
their waste properly rather than littering or carelessly leaving items behind. Make things even clearer by including symbols
and icons on top of each bin to clarify what type of waste goes into what. If
you’re not sure yourself, hire a professional waste management company
to help
you set up the waste stations.
While not everyone will adhere to these rules
and use the right bins, providing the right recycling education will go a long
way in reducing the level of waste at your festival.
Find
out what types of waste to expect and work out the best methods for disposal
and recycling
Before your festival starts, it’s important
that you and other staff members are aware of which types of waste to expect
and what the main methods of recycling them are. Find out what materials
caterers and food suppliers are using and whether they are recyclable. For instance, drink cans and paper cups are,
but plastic items such as straws and plastic carrier bags aren’t that
eco-friendly.
Encourage suppliers to use paper straws and
paper items where possible. You could also ask festival attendees to bring
their own reusable cups to get discounts on drinks. Get branded reusable tote
bags made so that festival-goers are encouraged to use these instead of plastic
carrier bags.
Hire
a professional waste management company
Due to your on-going commercial waste
management needs, you may already have the contact of a local waste disposal
and recycling company. These trained professionals will be experienced in
taking care of all kinds of waste. They’ll be well aware of how to deal with
waste in the most eco-friendly way, and they’ll also be able to deal with any
hazardous waste materials as safely as possible.
Hire a waste management company to save
yourselves and your staff the time and hassle of dealing with excessive
festival waste. Instead, spend that time working out what went well during the
event and organising the next one!
Ask
local recycling experts how you can minimise waste
Aim to hold a festival that produces as little
waste as possible. Not only is this great for environmental reasons, but it can
also help you build a brand as a festival that cares for the environment. This
is very appealing to modern customers and festival-goers that are increasingly
concerned with the effects of climate change. Reach out to your waste management company as
you are organising the event. Let them know more about the types of waste that
you expect and they will be able to offer advice on how you can shape your
festival so that each item is reusable and recyclable.
Keep in mind, re-using items across all your
festivals can also save you a lot of money in the long-term. Instead of
throwing things away at an annual or seasonal event, think about getting
storage space and continuing to re-use them for as long as you can.
Waste
management companies can dispose of items safely
Not only is excessive waste terrible for the
environment and unsightly, but it can also pose a health and safety risk. By
hiring an experienced waste disposal company, you’ll ensure that all waste is
dealt with in the safest way possible. This prevents contamination of your
festival site and helps ensure that both the festival attendees and your
employees are kept safe. Attempting to dispose of waste yourself can
also be a dangerous task. Save yourselves the hassle and get a professional to
take on the task.
Let’s recap some of the key tips to keep in
mind as you’re organising waste management of your festival:
● Encourage use of biodegradable
disposables and plates on all food stalls
● Create recycling stations are
clearly labelled
● Hire a professional waste
management company
● Work out what waste to expect and
how to best recycle it
● Encourage the use of reusable cups
with discounts and incentives
● Provide branded tote bags instead
of plastic carrier bags
● Turn to a professional waste
company for recycling advice
Professional
waste management services for Beds, Bucks, Oxon and Northants
With over 45 years' experience in waste
management, Graham Churchill Plant Ltd are the local experts in waste disposal.
We’re committed to environmentally friendly waste management and all of our
companies have a strict recycling scheme, aiming to recycle as many materials
as we can. When we cannot recycle your materials they will
be disposed of at the appropriate licensed facilities. As well as being
extremely good for the environment and ensuring we are as green as possible,
this also means that we can offer you a complete range of recycled aggregates,
making it cost effective for you.
Get
in touch
to find out more about waste management and skip hire
services.
