With large crowds comes a lot of waste. Food and drinks packaging, promotional materials and even bits of broken tent (if your event includes camping). These pieces of rubbish can be left behind and cause major bin overflow! Effective waste management is a crucial component of any event to avoid damage to the environment and unsightly views, but it can be quite the logistical challenge.
In this blog, we will explore how skip hire for events works, why it is beneficial and how to achieve hassle-free waste management at your next event.
The environmental impact of festivals and events: Why waste management matters
When you think of festivals, you think of the music, the food, the fun – very rarely do you think about the rubbish left behind and the environmental impacts of this. But it can be a big issue. In fact, according to businesswaste.co.uk, UK music festivals create 25,800 tonnes of waste annually! Effective waste management is paramount, not only to prevent harm to the surrounding areas, but also to maintain the aesthetic appeal of the venue.
When litter and waste from festivals and events is not properly disposed of, it can contaminate the environment, including the air, soil and water, causing pollution. We have discussed the impacts of improper waste disposal in the past, and this doesn’t go away just because of the fun of a festival or event.
Without a proper waste management plan in place, litter can remain in the venue and surrounding location, polluting the soil, air and water, endangering animals and causing an eye sore. Proper collection, sorting and recycling can help to mitigate these problems.
Understanding the logistical challenges
Even though arranging effective waste management solutions at events and festivals is of high importance, that doesn’t mean it will be easy. Due to the dynamic nature of these events and the diverse range of waste generated, waste management systems can pose several logistical challenges.
One of the biggest logistical challenges of organising waste management solutions at festivals and large events is the sheer volume and variety of waste generated. This rubbish can include anything from food and drink packaging, paper, plastic and glass to tents and camping gear. Having the facilities available to manage this requires careful planning and organisation.
Another issue with waste disposal at these kinds of events is the limited space and accessibility that is caused by such large crowds of people. Venues typically have limited space for waste storage and disposal facilities, so finding appropriate locations for bins and skip hire services without compromising safety can be challenging.
Additionally, waste management services have to be coordinated with event schedules to ensure a timely collection and disposal. This coordination requires careful planning and communication with the event team to avoid disruption.
Addressing these logistical challenges requires a well thought through approach that integrates waste reduction strategies, efficient collection and disposal methods, and effective communication. By anticipating and mitigating these challenges, organisers can ensure that waste management at festivals and events is both effective and environmentally responsible.
Introducing skip hire as a sustainable solution
There are many benefits of hiring skips as a waste management solution. Skip hire services provide organisers with a convenient and efficient means of collecting and disposing of large volumes of waste in an environmentally responsible manner.
By strategically placing skips throughout the event venue, attendees are encouraged to properly dispose of their waste, reducing littering and promoting recycling efforts. Most importantly, they are one of the most environmentally friendly waste disposal solutions, as they allow for rubbish to be sorted and recycled appropriately to prevent pollution.
Benefits of skip hire for event waste management
Using skips as a waste management solution for festivals and events offer multiple different benefits, both to the organisers, and to the attendees:
- Efficient Waste Collection: Using skips allows for efficient waste collection by strategically positioning bins across the venue. This helps to maintain the venue cleanliness for the duration of the event, and ensures quick and efficient removal.
- Convenient Disposal: Skips offer convenient disposal solutions for large volumes of waste, simplifying the process for both organisers and attendees.
- Environmental Sustainability: As previously mentioned, using skips is one of the most environmentally friendly waste disposal solutions, minimising the event’s carbon footprint.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Skip hire can be a cost-effective waste management solution, allowing organisers to avoid the expenses associated with purchasing and maintaining their own equipment.
Overall, using skips for event waste management offers a number of different benefits, contributing to a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable event experience.
Tips for hassle-free waste management
If you are managing an event and are looking at using skips as a waste disposal solution, we are here to help with some handy tips on how to make the most of them:
- Strategically place skip bins throughout the venue, mainly in areas where large crowds accumulate or where rubbish is likely to be created, (like near food trucks and hydration stations), to encourage attendees to throw their rubbish away properly, rather than litter.
- Provide clear signage to direct attendees to properly dispose of waste into the correct bins.
- Make sure the skips are easily accessible, both for attendees to dispose of their rubbish in, and the hire company vehicles to collect and replace them when necessary.
- Schedule periodic emptying of skips and monitor the fill level to give an insight into skip size, number and placement for future events.
- Use heavy-duty bin bags for easier, cleaner waste removal, and consider lining the bottom of the skips with sand or sawdust to soak up any leakage from waste and prevent ground contamination.
- Ensure that skips are not overfilling and use lidded skips to keep waste contained, especially when open to elements such as rain and wind.
By ensuring that event waste management is properly planned and executed, you will have a cleaner venue, more sustainable processes and a more enjoyable event for all involved.
How EJ Shanley can help
We have a range of different sized skips available to hire that suite a wide range of event sizes and requirements.
If you don’t need a skip, we also offer numerous other waste disposal options, such as scrap metal recycling, scrap vehicle disposal and our man with a van service.
For more information, please call our Trowbridge or Warminster office, or get in touch via our website.
