Waste Wise Event Guide
How to make your event waste wise mak
Introduction
As a result of the great events that happen in NSW every year, thousands of tonnes of waste are generated, often ending up in landfill or as litter polluting our streets and waterways. The waste is a loss of resources, as at least 60% of the material could be recycled. We can reverse this mountain of waste and reduce the environmental impact of events by working towards making every event in Pittwater a Waste Wise Event!
A message from Pittwater Council’s General Manager:
Pittwater is a unique place, situated at the northern end of Sydney’s Northern Beaches and only 45 minutes from the CBD. It is a place of natural beauty, featuring nine beaches, seven ocean rockpools, rugged headlands, sandstone seacliffs, two National Parks, and extensive wetlands providing sanctuary for countless numbers of bird species. Pittwater also has a high number of visitors and tourists to the area each year, including those who visit Palm Beach ‘Summer Bay’, and those who choose to stay at the famous Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park. This Waste Wise Event Guide is intended for all businesses and individuals who have chosen to hold their event in the unique environment of Pittwater. So in order to preserve Pittwater’s natural environments for all to enjoy, we ask you to join us in reducing our ecological footprint, and working towards an environmentally sustainable future.
Mr Mark Ferguson
GENERAL MANAGER
Contents
What is a Waste Wise Event? Why be Waste Wise? Compliance with Waste Wise Requirements.
• Pittwater Council’s committment to Environmental Sustainability. • What does this mean for your business?
On the day of the event.
• What to look for on the day of the event.
Paper Recycling Container Recycling Non-Recycables What happens when recycling leaves an event? Minimising packaging at the event.
• Assess your packaging. • Green Packaging Suppliers.
Examples of Green Packaging. Green Packaging Order Form Stall Holder Survey
What is a Waste Wise Event?
A waste wise event is one that takes responsibility for Waste Management by adopting sound purchasing and packaging policies, waste and recycling collection services and clean up practices. A waste wise event is designed so that garbage is minimised and recycling is maximised. It involves planning and implementing waste avoidance strategies that encourage stall holders and attendees to minimise the use of non-reusable and non-recycable products and packaging. It includes a bin system that encourages and makes it easy for everyone to recycle and dispose of waste materials responsibly. Special events are particular in their temporary nature which generate a high volume of disposable materials. A waste wise event will aim to divert the maximum amount of material from being sent to landfill. The Sydney 2000 experience has shown that this diversion figure can reach up to 75% by recycling cardboard, paper, food and drink containers and composting organic material such as food scraps, paper plates and biodegradable cutlery.
Why be Waste Wise?
Being waste wise makes good economic and environmental sense. A waste wise event benefits everyone involved; Council’s that have policies on waste reduction and resource recovery at public events can meet their community’s environmental expectations, and can make an impact on the behavior of stall holders and attendees in a positive way by setting a good example. Event Co-ordinators can save money by reducing post-event clean-up costs and the amount of waste sent to landfill, and generate a positive image to the public. Providing recycling and reducing litter enhances the reputation of the event, making it more attractive to the public and busineses who may wish to be involved. The public benefits by being able to attend a clean, tidy and litter free event. Results of surveys taken prove that 87% of attendeees are supportive of waste wise practices, provided that recycling services are well-organised and easily accessable. The environment benefits from more sustainable use of resources through the avoidance of waste and litter, decreasing the amount of waste going to landfill, and the use of reusable or recycable materials for packaging and catering. Waste wise practices reduce the environmental load of greenhouse gases, water and energy usage.
Compliance with Waste Wise Requirements
Pittwater Council is committed to environmental sustainability
Each year, Pittwater Council receives 280 bookings for events held in our Parks and Reserves. As part of Pittwater Council’s committment to environmental sustainability, all events held within the Pittwater Local Government area are to comply with the Waste Wise Event requirements within this guide. Council is encouraging all businesses and community to reduce waste and recycle. A Waste Wise Event is one at which the three R’s are practiced;
R e d u c e ,
R e u s e ,
R e c y c l e
To help make all events successful and waste wise, all businesses, stall holders, and other participants that take part in any event, must use only environmentally friendly products and packaging when conducting their business.
What does this mean for your business?
• Use packaging that can be recycled and is easily biodegradable. • Food stall holders must supply food only in packaging that can be recycled or that is easily biodegradable. • Non-recycable and unneccessary packaging including polystyrene must not be used. • Seperate cardboard ready for post event collection. • During the event place any non-recycable items into a waste bin. • Prevent litter and keep the area around your stall litter free. • Identify and report on opportunities for improvement. At the back of this guide you will find the Green Packaging Order Form. You must complete this form and return to us 10 days prior to your event whether you are purchasing the green packaging items yourself or ordering through Council. This is to confirm your compliance with Council’s Waste Wise requirements. If you are unable to source green packaging yourself, Council’s Environmental Compliance Education Staff can order these for you, and will invoice you for the products you order.
On the day of the event
On the day of the event, Pittwater Council’s Environmental Health Officers and Waste Education Officers will be conducting inspections of all stall holders and businesses operating on the day of the event, to ensure compliance with these Waste Wise requirements. What if your business does not comply? Any Stall Holder who does not comply with Pittwater Council’s Waste Wise requirements will be prevented from operating on the day.
What to look for on the day of the event
Waste and Recycling Stations must be located at a number of strategic areas around the venue clearly marked with signage, to maximise recycling and resource recovery, and to minimise waste and litter at the event.
Paper Recycling
ACCEPTED
Clean cardboard food packaging Flattened cardboard boxes Newspapers, magazines and junk mail Office paper and envelopes Egg cartons
NOT ACCEPTED
Plastic bags Milk and juice cartons Dirty pizza boxes Wax coated cardboard Food soiled cardboard and paper
Container Recycling
ACCEPTED
Plastic bottles and containers marked 1 - 7 Milk and juice cartons Aerasol cans Steel cans Aluminimium cans Glass bottles and jars
NOT ACCEPTED
Plastic bags and bottle lids Ceramics and porcelain Glass cookware, mirrors or window glass Light globes, tubes and white glass Plastic toys and household items Non recycable packaging
Non Recycables
ACCEPTED
Food scraps Plastic bags and wrapping Crockery, light globes, mirrors and window glass Food soiled paper and pizza boxes
NOT ACCEPTED
Garden vegetation, sand, soil or stones Building material, concrete, bricks, sawdust Commercial waste Carpet Recycable items
Disposable nappies Ashes Foam packaging
Compostable Material (for compost or wormfarm)
Egg Shells
Vegetables
Egg Cartons
Fruit
Tea Bags
Coffee Grounds
ACCEPTED
Food scraps Soiled paper Serviettes Tea bags and coffee grounds Biodegradable cups, plates & cutlery
NOT ACCEPTED
Plastic Bags Recyclable items Hot ashes
What happens when recycling leaves an event?
Recyclable materials collected are delivered to a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).
Materials are then sorted into categories, eg. plastics, aluminium, glass, cardboard.
Materials are made into bales, ready for transport to a manufacturing plant.
Materials are manufactured into new products. This is much cheaper than creating them from the raw materials.
Pizza Boxes
Recycled products like these are used by attendees at events elsewhere. All these materials can be recycled and manufactored into new products, again and again.
Minimising Packaging at your event.
Assess your packaging
Look at the type of packaging at your stall and ask yourself, “Do I need this type of packaging? Can it be recycled at the event?” Follow the three ‘R’s to minimise waste;
Reduce,
R eu s e,
R ecy cle
Reduce the amount of non-recycables used in the activites of your business, choose items you can use over and over again, and recycle items when they are worn out and no longer safe to use.
Green Packaging Suppliers
A&W Hollier 33 - 37 Victoria Street, Smithfield NSW 2164 Ph: 02 9725 5520 www.awhollier.com.au (All types of food packaging) Bunzi Pty Ltd 203 Rookwood Road, Chullora NSW 2143 Ph: 02 9794 9000 www.bunzi.com.au (Food packaging, including a range of paper, pulp, PET and polypropylene materials) Lombard 162 Silverwater Road, Silverwater NSW 2128 Ph: 02 9647 1599 www.lombard.com.au (EnvironTray Range , liquid paper board cups, paper straws, cutlery; wooden and corn starch)
Kent Paper 9 Hayes Street Balgowlah NSW 2093 Ph: 02 9949 6666 www.kentpaper.com.au (Disposable packaging and paper products) Northpak Packaging (02) 8596 8100 13-15 Edinburgh Rd Marrickville 2204 www.northpak.com.au Recycled cardboard plates and trays, wooden cutlery, recycled paper napkins Detmold / Detpak (02) 9648 2622 4/2 Holker St Newington, 2127 www.detmold.com.au Paper trays, boxes, cups, napkins Sydney Packaging 2B/ 172 Silverwater Road, Silverwater NSW 2128 Ph: 02 9737 9377 (Wooden cultlery, eco-vision plates, food packaging)
Examples of Green Packaging
FLAT BAGS CD COVER/ SLEEVE CD CASE/ FOLDER 1F CARD 3F CD SHOP BAG 6F A4 MAIL BAG RECORD BAG ART BAG
CARRY BAGS HEAVY DUTY CUT OUT HANDLES OR TAPE SMALL MEDIUM SMALL FLAT LARGE FLAT
LENGTH X WIDTH 127MM X 127MM 130 X 140 X 5MM 185MM X 140MM + 235MM X 200MM 335MM X 240MM 400MM X 365MM 585MM X 400MM
LENGTH X WIDTH X GUSSET OR FLAT LENGTH X WIDTH
THICKNESS OF PAPER 105 GSM 342 GSM 105 GSM 105 GSM 105 GSM 105 GSM 150 GSM
THICKNESS OF PAPER GRAMS/SQ. METER 105 GSM 105 GSM 105 GSM 150 GSM
400MM X 230MM X 90MM 420MM X 300MM X 70MM 300MM X 240MM 585 X 395MM
Stock Boxes
Provides cost-effective packaging in a wide range of sizes with a variety of applications. Stock boxes are available in a variety of flutes. Servicing markets ranging from industrial to retail merchandising. Made from quality recycled paper.
RSC (Regular Slotted Cartons, Boxes, Shippers)
Designed to suit your needs in a variety of shapes and sizes, available in a variety of print options ranging from 1-4 colours Flexographics, to high gloss process via Litho Lamination procedure.
Green Packaging Order Form
Name: Company: Phone: Fax: Email: I confirm that this list below outlines the packaging that will be used at this event. Signature: You must complete this form and return to the Environmental Compliance Education Team 10 days prior to the event. If you are sourcing the items yourself please tick the items you will be using on the day of the event. If you are ordering through Council, please specify amount required.
Type of packaging you will be using.
Recycled Paper Bag Cardboard Boxes Calico Bags Biodegradable Paper Wrap Other (please specify)
Tick or number required
Fax to: Environmental Compliance Education Team (02) 9970 7150
Stall Holder Survey
1. Are you aware that this is a Waste Wise Event? Yes 2. No
What does a Waste Wise Event mean to you?
3.
Were you a stallholder or vendor at this event previously? Yes What types of packaging did you use previously? No
4.
The event co-ordinators would have contacted you to let you know which types of packaging are acceptable to use. Do you remember being contacted? Yes No Don’t know
5. 6.
What types of packaging are you using at this event? Have you used the waste and recycling stations at this event? Yes No Don’t know
7.
Do you think waste and recycling stations at this venue are accessible and well positioned? Yes No (please comment)
8.
Do you think waste and recycling stations are clearly identified? Yes No (please comment)
9.
Do you think signage on waste and recycling stations clearly shows what can be recycled? Yes No (please comment)
10.
What suggestions do you have for making it easier for you and other stallholders to be Waste Wise at this event?
For more information on how to make a difference in waste reduction, visit www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/local_services/ waste_and_recycling or call Ph: 9970 1111. Contact Pittwater Council’s Education Team if you would like more information on reducing waste at your event, or your household waste through Composting & Worm Farming, Recycling & Natural Cleaning. Telephone: 9970 1194 Email: EC Education_Team@pittwater.nsw.gov.au
PO Box 882, Mona Vale NSW 1660 Phone: 02 9970 1111 Email: pittwater_council@pittwater.nsw.gov.au
Environmental Compliance / Printed on 100% recycled paper / Date: July 2008 / ECWRHA08