Business and event waste
We want to support local businesses with their waste minimisation and management, and event organisers, stall holders, and food and drink vendors in our district to reduce the amount of waste created at events. Find useful information and resources below.
Managing and minimising business waste
Conducting a waste audit is a first step you can take to help you to understand the issues your business has regarding waste. You could conduct an internal waste audit or get an external company in to conduct it.
External waste audit
If opting for an external company, they will take you through the process and are on hand to work out your next steps following the audit. This will suit larger or more complex businesses such as agriculture or industrial.
Companies that carry out business audits:
Internal waste audit
Small businesses or businesses that are just after some insight of the waste produced may wish to carry out their own waste audit.
To do this you will need to look at:
- Who collects the waste and when
- Identify the waste, its amount, and where it comes from
- Where your waste disposal points are (for example, kitchen and yard)
Don’t let staff or customers know you are conducting an audit as they may change their behaviour, and the data will not show a true picture.
Steps to conducting a waste audit
- The first step to conducting a waste audit is to understand what waste you produce. This can help you see where you can cut back on unnecessary waste or make changes to reusing / refusing certain waste streams in the business
- Pick an average week where you can carry out this audit, taking into account waste collection time that could interfere with data
- Ensure you have all the equipment needed to carry out the audit, including PPE such as rubber gloves, masks, and bags etc
- Throughout the audit pay attention to the amount of bags of rubbish thrown away per day. Where is waste stored? Are some bins used more than others?
- Weigh the waste if you can, then sort through and separate waste into different streams, and note down any items that are recyclable or reusable
- You can sort the waste daily and calculate the total at the end of the week or complete an audit at the end of the week with the whole amount that has been collected and stored
Analyse and implement changes
Analyse the data. This will allow you to see where changes can be made and what items are being disposed of incorrectly.
- What type of waste has the highest volume?
- Are there recyclable or reusable items thrown into the landfill bins?
- Work on changes that can be made
- This could include increasing the number of bins on site and making sure they are colour coded to ensure the right items are disposed of in the right bins
- Is more signage needed to ensure staff or customers are disposing of items correctly?
- How can you reduce the amount of waste you produce? Speak to your suppliers and ask about recyclable packaging or reusable products
- If you are a cafe, consider: selling reusable keep cups, joining a cup cycling network, offering a discount to customers who use these products
Conducting food waste audits
Choose a time of day to carry out your audit. Conduct it over three days (due to hygiene regulations).
Food waste can be split into three categories:
- Food prep – fruit and veg peelings
- Plate waste – food leftover by customers
- Spoiled food – unsold products, food that has expired
To understand your food waste better you should have three separate bins for the audit, this will allow you to work out where most of the food waste comes from.
At the end of the audit, calculate / weigh the amount of waste in each category and from there you can start to work on what changes are needed to reduce this waste which could save you time and money.
Managing and minimising event waste
In line with the Wairarapa Solid Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2021, the organiser of any event taking place in Wairarapa with over 1,000 people attending must submit a waste minimisation plan to the relevant Wairarapa district council for approval.
- The waste plan needs to detail what volume and types of waste are expected, and the steps to minimise waste going to landfill.
- Plans must be submitted to Council 30 days before the event. This will allow us time for us to assess the plan, and if necessary, help us work with the event organisers.
- Event managers will also need to provide a post-event report on the amount and types of waste collected.
Please get in touch with our Waste Minimisation Officer for support with completing your plan.
Reducing waste at your event
Working to minimise the waste from your event from the earliest planning stages means that you don’t have to deal with it at the end, and can benefit your event in many ways – including having less impact on our environment, improved public relations, happier attendees, compliance with Council guidelines, and a safer, tidier site.
A handy organiser’s guide has been created to help you reduce waste at your event.
Here’s a step by step quick guide:
1. Make a plan to reduce waste at your event and commit to a target (e.g. 50% diversion).
2. Work out what types of waste, how much to expect and how it will be removed from the site.
3. Request or require vendors to bring materials that can be reused, composted or recycled.
4. Provide a system to reduce waste at the event.
5. Develop a site plan including your waste system.
6. Have an on-site waste manager and work out how many people you will require on the day.
7. Engage all event stakeholders and secure their commitment to the waste plan.
8. Share your message loud and clear before, during and after your event.
9. Collect waste data, request feedback from stakeholders and share your success and learnings.
Guidelines, templates and helpful resources
Event Waste Management and Minimisation Plan Template [Word]
Post Event Waste Analysis Report [Word]
How to Reduce Waste at Your Event [PDF, 4MB]