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- Other waste guidance
Other waste guidance
It’s important to reduce waste from events; however, organisers often find it difficult to pass leftover items on or find a second life for them.
A bit like food waste, the key in this area is to ‘design out’ single use materials with no onward life from event plans and designs. The best approach is to work out what materials are needed, then scrutinise that list to ensure they really are needed and only produce those (and don’t overorder), or better still source them from somewhere where they can be loaned, hired or borrowed.
Event organisers can get better at planning giveaways and either decide not to produce any physical giveaways (digital swag is now an option) or invite attendees to select if they would like an item such as a delegate bag, rather than producing one per person (often people leave them behind).
For event infrastructure and furniture, this is more tricky. The best opportunity is to talk to suppliers about reusable stock they have (staging, sets, furniture) and using digital graphics to personalise them.
Temporary carpets are a key issue for events. They are usually plastic and highly unsustainable. Whilst there are various suppliers to the industry now producing more sustainable stock and supplies for events, we still need to be mindful of what happens to those items once the event concludes. Consider whether you need carpet – the best solutions might be just to not get carpet!.
You could consider co-designing branded items with a community group, school or charity, ahead of the event. Provide funding (equivalent to purchasing or hiring the item) for them to design and produce what you need, for example a stage backdrop, then find a long-term home for the item post event, back at their centre / location or somewhere else in the community e.g. a community theatre or youth group.
Freecycle is a free site where you can pass on or sell unwanted items that are no longer needed post event. You would need to consider timing of picks-ups, and where items can be stored post event until sold.
Event Cycle operates nationally and works with organisers to find a second life for everything leftover from their event. Examples seen include re-carpeting of several social housing units from the re-use of event carpets.