A Green Guide for
Waste Management and Recycling
During Special Events
at National Capital Region Parks
Pre-Event Activities
10 Quick Steps
for Recycling
at Special Events 2
Tips for Reducing Food-
Related Waste 5
During Event Activities 5
Post-Event Activities 6
Appendix A: Sample
Vendor Letter 7
Resources
8
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY • NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
-------
The National Park Service (NFS) oversees a network
of nearly 400 natural, cultural, and recreational sites
across the United States. The treasures and properties
in this network have been set aside by the American
people to preserve, protect, and share the legacies of
this land.
People from around the world visit national parks to experience
America's story, marvel at the natural wonders, and have fun.
These visitors bring with them or generate onsite millions
of tons of waste, much of which is recyclable or
compostable.
In addition, many special events including festivals, demonstrations,
and picnics attract large crowds, often overwhelming the park's
existing waste management and recycling capacity. You can help
by planning ahead to manage waste and recycle at your event.
NFS and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
developed this guide to help private event organizers and
park managers successfully plan waste reduction and recycling
programs for special events held at national parks. The guide
walks you through each step, beginning with pre-event planning,
moving on to day-of-event tips, and concluding with post-event
evaluation. Following these guidelines, you can make your next
event more environmentally friendly, ultimately helping preserve
the beauty and sustainability of the nation's park system.
Pre-Event Activities
Beverage containers, snacks, souvenirs, and pamphlets at special
events can turn into heaps of trash. What is the best way to help
the National Park Service keep your event clean and litter free?
Use this planning guide to develop a waste management and
recycling plan before your event.
Start by determining what wastes will be generated during your
event and which materials—such as glass, aluminum, plastic,
cardboard, and paper—can be collected for recycling in the
national park and in the surrounding community. Consider what
can be composted as well, such as food scraps and food-soiled
paper. Coordinate with park staff to learn which materials already
are being recycled and whether existing infrastructure, such as
recycling bins and dumpsters, can handle additional materials
generated during your event.
Placing recycling bins beside trash receptacles makes it
easy for attendees to recycle during special events.
10 Quick Steps for
Recycling at Special Events
1. Determine what wastes will
be generated at your event.
2. Coordinate with park staff.
3. Contract with a hauler.
4. Involve vendors
and exhibitors.
5. Select recycling bins.
6. Recruit and train volunteers.
7. Place recycling bins beside
trash cans in high-traffic areas.
8. Create signs for recycling
stations, and label bins with
text and graphics.
9. Monitor and empty
bins regularly.
10. Donate leftover food
and supplies.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY • NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
-------
Think about waste prevention first.
Evaluate opportunities to prevent waste in the first place. Waste prevention means considering
actions that will generate the least amount of waste. Eliminating a waste means you don't have
to collect or recycle it. For example, serving food buffet style rather than using boxed lunches or
skipping the "box" in boxed lunches translates to less waste. Waste prevention can yield financial
savings in addition to environmental benefits.
Create a recycling plan for your event.
• Involve relevant stakeholders, including national park staff, event organizers, partner
organizations, concessioners, haulers, and volunteers.
• Create simple maps showing the location of recycling, composting, and garbage bins, as well
as where signage will be placed.
• List staff and volunteer tasks and map out their shifts and responsibilities.
Sign a contract with a recycling hauler.
When choosing a hauler, consider the factors below.
• Cost of services. Ask if the hauler might donate its services for your event.
Hauler's experience with recycling at special events.
* Range of materials accepted.
• Availability of containers. (Some might be available through cities or counties.)
Hauler's ability to measure and report recycling data.
For assistance, talk to your local government representative responsible for waste management
and recycling.
Coordinate with vendors and exhibitors.
Concessioners, vendors, and exhibitors play a key role in the success of recycling efforts. Involve
them early in the planning process by asking for their input and incorporating their ideas.
Determine what types of waste they expect to generate, let them know what materials you plan to
collect, and ask for their cooperation. If possible, include clauses in contracts that require their
participation in the recycling program, such as requiring concessioners to sell beverages only in
recyclable bottles and cans, rather than disposable cups. If they prefer to use cups, encourage use of
plastic cups, if markets exist for recycling them.
Although it can be difficult to find recyclers
for plastic cups, those made with # 1 (PET) or
#2 (HDPE) resins seem to be more accepted
than other resins.
A few months before the event, send
introductory letters to your vendors describing
your recycling program's goals, policies, and
procedures and outlining their responsibilities.
(See Appendix A: Sample Vendor Letter.)
During the event, provide concessioners with
recycling bins and lids, liners, and signs to
make it easy for them to participate.
RECYCLING
Displaying banners like this one helps remind vendors and attendees to look for
and use recycling bins during your event.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY • NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
-------
Select recycling bins.
The type of event, anticipated weather conditions, likelihood of
reusing the bins at future events, costs, and many other factors
affect decisions about what types of bins to use. Options include
renting, purchasing (particularly for an annual event), or using
disposable bins. In addition, recycling haulers sometimes supply
bins as part of their contracts for service, and some municipalities
loan or lease bins for events.
* Choose recycling bins that are visually different from receptacles
for trash.
Take the weather into account if the event is outside.
Cardboard bins, for example, are not durable enough for
heavy winds or rain.
v Consider using bins with clear bags. They serve as an instant
advertisement about what materials can be recycled and make
it easy to see when the bins need to be emptied.
Recruit and train staff and volunteers.
Although volunteers are not needed at every special event, their
support can help ensure the success of recycling programs. Once
you have estimated how much waste and recycling the event is likely
to generate and how many bins will be required, determine how
many volunteers will be needed. Solicit volunteers 2 to 4 months
before the event through local newspapers, message boards, and
other organizations, such as universities, high schools, and local
service groups like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and 4-H. Plan on
having one volunteer per recycling station (depending on the size
and duration of the event), at least two volunteers to troubleshoot
during the event, and one recycling coordinator. Volunteers can
help reduce contamination (mixing of trash with recyclables) by
pointing out proper bins to attendees.
Create recycling signs.
Clear and noticeable signs indicating where the public can recycle
are essential to ensuring a successful program. Create signs that
use both graphics and words to communicate what materials are
recyclable. Graphics can be especially useful to increase compliance
by non-English speakers.
This cardboard recycling bin is clearly labeled using
both words and graphics.
Please recycle
your plastic, glass, and
aluminum beverage
containers by placing
them in one of our
recycling receptacles.
Signs like this one educate attendees about which
materials are recyclable at your event.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY • NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
-------
Consider composting food scraps.
Organic materials are among the highest volumes of materials
collected at events. Composting food scraps, coffee grounds, and
paper contaminated with food residue is a great way to prevent
waste and increase your recycling rate. If the national park or
nearby community does not have a composting program, work
with the waste or recycling hauler to identify alternatives. Consider
delivering organic materials to local farmers, community gardens,
or institutions with existing composting programs.
Donate leftover food.
Some nonprofit organizations, including food rescue agencies,
accept donations of fresh and prepared foods. Consider partnering
with one or more of these organizations to collect and redistribute
leftover food and beverage items.
During Event Activities
Arrive early the day of the event, allowing ample time to set up the
recycling bins and signage, establish a staging area for collecting
recyclables throughout the event, and organize staff and volunteers.
Work with concessioners, exhibitors, vendors, event staff, and
volunteers during the event to reduce unnecessary waste and
recycle as much as possible.
Place recycling and composting bins.
Strategic placement of signs and receptacles can help
maximize collection and reduce contamination (mixing of
trash with recyclables).
Distribute recycling and composting bins throughout the event
grounds in high-traffic areas and where high volumes of waste
will be generated, such as near concession areas, restrooms, and
entrances and exits.
• Place a recycling bin next to each trash can. Pairing the two
can help reduce contamination and encourage more people
to recycle.
Install signage.
-' Place banners above bins to help attendees locate the recycling
areas from a distance.
• Put a sign or label on each side of the recycling bin.
Tips for Reducing Food-
Related Waste
• Buy in bulk rather than
individual servings,
e.g., ketchup and mustard.
• Use refillable or
reusable containers.
• Buy supplies with recycled
content, such as paper cups
and napkins.
• Use recyclable containers or
compostable ones if composting
is available.
Using clear plastic bags in recycling receptacles
helps attendees easily recognize which materials
are recyclable.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY • NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
-------
Set up recycling staging area.
The staging area can serve as a place for recycling volunteers to check in, sort materials if
needed, and observe the material flow. The hauler should be able to access the staging area
to pick up the recyclables.
Greet vendors and exhibitors.
Provide clear instructions on how to recycle and whom to contact for questions. Collect cardboard
that vendors and exhibitors may have at the staging area, away from the public recycling stations.
Organize staff and volunteers.
Hold a brief day-of-event meeting and walk-through of the site to point out the location of recycling
stations and the staging area.
Monitor and empty bins.
Monitor the recycling bins throughout the day. Empty them regularly to avoid overflow and so
waste doesn't end up in recycling bins. Transport the recyclables from the bins to the staging area.
Break down and clean up.
Remember that materials continue to be generated during cleanup. Assist vendors with taking
down their booths and stations. Oversee final sorting, collection, and transport of materials.
Ensure that the hauler picks up the recyclables.
• Ensure that donated food is picked up or dropped off as planned.
Post-Event Activities
Congratulations! Now that your event is over and the last attendees have headed home, the final
step is to assess the success of your waste prevention and recycling program. Following the steps
below, you can audit your event's total environmental performance and impact. Use the results
to assess your success and to make improvements to your program in the future.
Collect data.
Follow up with your hauler/recycler for final weights on the amounts of recyclables, compost,
and garbage collected.
Ask for feedback and suggestions from stakeholders involved in the event, including national
park staff, event organizers, volunteers, vendors, exhibitors, and haulers.
Share your success.
Generate a brief summary highlighting the results from your waste prevention and recycling
efforts and listing any lessons learned that might improve your program next time.
Thank your event organizers, vendors, hauler, and volunteers with a post-event email or note,
highlighting the recycling rates and waste prevention results.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY • NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
-------
Appendix A
Sample Vendor Letter
The [name of event] is counting on you to help make this year's [event] another huge success.
Events at [event site] generate a large amount of waste, and the organizing committee is
committed to minimizing the amount going into landfills. We ask that you support our efforts
to be an environmentally sensitive event by recycling the material you generate at your booth.
Please complete the Onsite Needs and Plan Form below.
Return the form to [event coordinator] by [date]. [List any specific waste management
procedures, such as materials to be recycled, vendor responsibilities, etc.]
Onsite Needs and Plan Form
Please return to [event coordinator] by [date].
Vendor Company:
Contact Person:
Contact Phone:
Fax: Email:
Please describe any items you plan to distribute at your booth:
Will your booth operations or items you give away generate any packaging/garbage (plastic
wrappers, foil bottle caps, etc.)? Please describe so that we can be prepared:
Please describe any needs you have on the day of the event (power, tables, chairs, etc.):
What else do you plan to do/have at your booth? Describe anything else you plan to bring:
[Name(s)] at [phone numbers] will be your contacts for booth setup and
onsite logistical needs.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP in making the [event] a great event. See you on [date].
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY • NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
-------
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5306P)
EPA530-F-10-011
October 2010
www.epa.gov/recycle
Resources
• "A Comprehensive Guide to Venue and Event Recycling:
Single-Serve Recycling Toolkit," NAPCOR
www.napcor.com
"Best Management Practices Guidebook for Special Event-
Generated Waste," Northeast Recycling Council
www.nerc.org/special events recycling and composting.html
Earth 911
www.earth911.com.
Feeding America
http://feedingamerica.org
Go Recycle, Washington, DC, area local government resources
www.GoRecvcle.org
Maryland Recycling Network
www.marvlandrecvclingnetwork.org
• Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
www.mwcog.org/environment/recvcling
• "Recycling at Events: A Guide to Reducing Waste at Any Event,"
Recycling Advocates/City of Portland, Oregon
www.recvclingadvocates.org/pdf/pubs/events.pdf
• US. EPA
www.epa.gov/recvcle
Virginia Recycling Association
www.vrarecvcles.org
8
> Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with vegetable oil-based inks on processed chlorine-free paper that
contains at least 50% post-consumer fiber.
------- |