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BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES GUIDEBOOK FOR SPECIAL EVENT-GENERATED WASTE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES Bath Heritage Days, Maine HCS Flower Show, New Hampshire Tunbridge World’s Fair, Vermont Produced by the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. © July 2006 With funding from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Solid Waste Management Grant Program Table of Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. 4 Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 5 I. Understanding Waste Reduction Strategies ...................................................................... 6 A. Reduce .............................................................................................................................. 6 B. Reuse ................................................................................................................................ 7 C. Recycle.............................................................................................................................. 7 D. Compost ............................................................................................................................ 7 E. Handling Special Waste..................................................................................................... 8 II. Getting Started – Understanding Recycling Program Details ......................................... 9 A. Planning for Success ........................................................................................................ 9 B. Understanding Existing Conditions ................................................................................... 9 C. Targeting the Waste Stream........................................................................................... 10 1) PAPER PRODUCTS .................................................................................................... 10 2) BOTTLES AND CANS ................................................................................................. 11 3) ORGANIC WASTE ....................................................................................................... 12 4) BULKY WASTE............................................................................................................ 13 5) OTHER WASTE ........................................................................................................... 13 D. The Dollars and Cents of Waste Management ............................................................... 14 1) COSTS ......................................................................................................................... 14 2) REVENUE/SAVINGS ................................................................................................... 14 E. Estimating the Environmental Benefits of Recycling....................................................... 15 III. The Nitty Gritty – Organizing Recycling Program Details ............................................. 15 A. Getting Commitment from the Top.................................................................................. 15 B. Designating a Point Person / Steering Committee.......................................................... 16 C. Creating a Realistic Plan ................................................................................................ 16 D. Negotiating with Haulers................................................................................................. 18 E. Dealing with Event Vendors............................................................................................ 19 1) STRATEGIES FOR VENDOR PARTICIPATION ......................................................... 19 2) COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY.................................................................................. 20 F. Equipment and Containers ............................................................................................. 20 H. Staff and Volunteers ....................................................................................................... 22 I. Leveraging Partnerships .................................................................................................. 23 IV. Event Management and Evaluation – Implementing the Plan & Taking a Look Back 24 A. Point Person ................................................................................................................... 24 B. Set Up............................................................................................................................. 24 C. During the Event............................................................................................................. 24 D. After the Event................................................................................................................ 24 E. Publicity and Education .................................................................................................. 25 F. Frequently Asked Questions ........................................................................................... 26 APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................... 28 Appendix A: Selected Events Summary............................................................................... 29 1) SELECTED EVENT PROFILES ................................................................................. 29 2) SELECTED EVENTS’ WASTE GENERATION .......................................................... 31 Appendix B: Recycling Planning Work Sheet...................................................................... 33 Appendix C: Recycling Budget Form ................................................................................... 35 Appendix D: Helpful Resources and Links ........................................................................... 36 1) SPECIAL EVENTS WITH ESTABLISHED RECYCLING PROGRAMS ....................... 36 2) USEFUL WASTE CONVERSION FACTORS .............................................................. 36 Appendix E: Sample Recycling Sign .................................................................................... 37 Appendix F: Sample Press Release .................................................................................... 38 Acknowledgements The Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. (NERC) would like to express its sincere appreciation to the many individuals and organizations who contributed to the development of the Best Management Practices Guidebook for Special Event-Generated Waste in Rural Communities. NERC would also like to extend a special thank you to the USDA for funding this project through its Rural Utility Services, Solid Waste Management Grant program. During the development of the project, a team of individuals from state and local government in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, as well as the event coordinators from the six participant special events, provided ongoing input, assistance, and support for this initiative. In particular, we would like to thank: Maine ƒ George McDonald, Maine State Planning Office ƒ Bruce White, Maine State Planning Office ƒ Mari Eosco, Bath Main Street Program ƒ Leslie Trundy, Bath Main Street Program ƒ Paula Adam, Bath Waste Management District ƒ Jon Whitten, Clinton Lions Club Fair and the Maine Association of Fairs ƒ Don Harrington, Clinton Lions Club Fair and the Maine Association of Fairs New ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ Hampshire Donald Maurer, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Sharon Yergeau, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Bob Silk, Cheshire Fair Grounds and New Hampshire Association of Fairs and Exhibitions Joe Sears, Deerfield Agricultural Fair Steven Curtin; Home, Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services (HCS) Development Office Megan Burke Kidder, HCS Flower Show Committee Chair Tim Parsons, New Hampshire Municipal Association Vermont ƒ Carolyn Grodinsky, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources ƒ Kate Barash-Engel, Association of Vermont Recyclers ƒ Erin Croom, Association of Vermont Recyclers ƒ Krista Harness, Association of Vermont Recyclers ƒ Donna Casey, Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District ƒ Tim Cianciola, Craft Producers, Inc. ƒ Joyce Majors, Lamoille County Solid Waste Management District ƒ Rebecca Begoin, Tunbridge Fair Association ƒ Euclid Farnham, Tunbridge Fair Association NERC would like to thank Peter Allison and DSM Environmental Services, as the project consultants, for assisting NERC with the implementation of the pilot project and the development of the Guide. 4 Introduction Agricultural fairs, heritage days, flower and animal shows, and other special events are important occasions for thousands of rural communities across the United States each year. These events showcase unique aspects of the host town or village, and represent one of the few opportunities when residents and businesses can come together to celebrate what makes their community special. One element of these events that is often taken for granted is the amount and management of solid waste generated in the days leading up to, during, and at the close of the event. Special events in the United States generate hundreds of thousands of tons of waste each year. For event organizers, managing this waste (otherwise known as refuse, garbage, or trash) can represent a significant cost, consume many volunteer or staff hours, and presents problems with unsightly litter and nuisances. Much of this material can be recycled or composted, or avoided altogether. In addition to the specific economic and environmental benefits of reducing the amount of waste going to disposal, special events are an ideal forum for promoting recycling by demonstrating that recycling is possible wherever you are. Fortunately, there are many ways that event organizers can dramatically reduce the amount of waste that ends up being disposed of as trash. In addition to reducing nuisances, proactive waste reduction and recycling1 strategies are good for the environment. They lessen the environmental impacts associated with landfill water discharges and incinerator air emissions from disposed trash, and conserve resources that go into making new products by providing recycled material for manufacturing. Further, recycling efforts also send a positive message to event attendees, staff, and volunteers that it is possible to be good environmental stewards when away from home or work. The Best Management Practices Guidebook for Special Event-Generated Waste in Rural Communities (Guidebook) is intended to help event organizers and individuals responsible for event waste management that are already considering developing or expanding source reduction and recycling programs. The Guidebook was developed by the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. (NERC) with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Solid Waste Management Grant program. The Guidebook is the result of over a year working with event organizers, state and local recycling officials, and other partners in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont to test a variety of recycling strategies at six special events in rural communities. In each state, one of these events was an agricultural fair. The other recycling pilots were implemented at a flower show, a heritage day, and a crafts fair. For each of these events, a planning team conducted site visits with event organizers, gathered data on past solid waste management activities, and developed a Recycling Plan that included recommendations for reducing waste at the 2005 event.2 Following is a list of the events. • • • • • • Bath Heritage Days, Maine Clinton Lions Club Agricultural Fair, Maine Deerfield Agricultural Fair, New Hampshire HCS Flower Show, New Hampshire Stowe Celebrates Summer, Vermont Tunbridge World’s Fair, Vermont 1 For simplicity, the term “recycling” will be used generically in this Guide. Unless otherwise noted, “recycling” will include waste reduction, materials reuse, recycling, and composting. 2 A summary of the events and major findings, as well as the web links to the selected events’ detailed Recycling Plans, are included in Appendix A. 5 During or after each event, a waste characterization analysis of material to be disposed of or recycled was conducted. These analyses involved the hand sorting of hundreds of pounds of trash to analyze the major components of the waste, by type. Based on the collected data, observations at the events, and communications with event organizers, revised recommendations were presented to each event organizer for further developing their event’s Recycling Plan for 2006. These studies informed the more generalized suggestions in this Guidebook and, in many cases, are referenced as examples in the text. This Guidebook is intended as a mentoring document to be actively used by event organizers in rural communities around the country, and to serve as a launching point for new ideas and suggestions. If you have any comments or suggestions for expanding the scope and possible use of this document, please send them to Mary Ann Remolador of NERC at maryann@nerc.org. Waste Sort at Clinton Lions Club Agricultural Fair, Maine I. Understanding Waste Reduction Strategies Much of the materials generated at special events can be recycled or composted, or avoided altogether. In addition to the specific economic and environmental benefits of reducing the amount of waste going to disposal, special events are an ideal forum for promoting recycling by demonstrating that recycling is possible wherever you are. Listed in the order of environmental priority, reduce, reuse, recycle, and composting are the elements of a well established “waste reduction hierarchy”. A. Reduce For special event organizers, identifying practical ways to reduce the amount of waste going to disposal is the key objective. Reducing the amount of waste generated at an event for disposal is the most effective way to cut waste costs and provide environmental benefits. Waste reduction strategies include: • • • • • Limit or eliminate trash disposal services for vendors. Often vendors pack up in a hurry and leave behind all types of items (e.g., rugs, broken lawn chairs, crushed coolers, old display racks, and old products), leaving the event organizers with the problem of clean-up and disposal costs. Put a clause in the vendor contracts that requires them to pack out all waste, or limits the types of allowable waste. Charge a penalty to all who don’t comply. Encourage or require vendors to supply drinks in containers that can be recycled as part of the event’s recycling program. Limit the number of printed materials, if experience indicates there are usually extras. Be sure that any printed materials are two-sided and on recycled-content paper. Consider requiring that vendors use compostable plates, cups, flatware, and trash bags. 6 B. Reuse • • Choose reusable signs, recycling containers, and other equipment that can be stored for reuse in future years. Encourage and facilitate vendor efforts to donate leftover items, such as food or durable products. C. Recycle Cardboard – Set up a designated, covered storage area for non-waxed cardboard. A dumpster in which vendors and event staff and volunteers can place flattened cardboard boxes is ideal. At some smaller events, cardboard can be transported by staff or volunteers to municipal recycling centers. This option must be negotiated with the town’s recycling program prior to dropping off materials. For larger events, it makes sense to contract with a recycling company or waste hauler to provide the container and take the cardboard for recycling. Paper – The majority of recyclable paper will be event promotional materials (e.g., fliers, newsletters, and maps) discarded by event-goers or as the result of over production. Setting up paper recycling can be challenging, because it is critical for paper to stay dry and not be mixed with food waste, plastic, or other refuse. Small, specially-marked containers near the exits are one strategy for capturing these materials. Returnable Cans and Bottles - These are a very valuable commodity in states with Bottle Bills. As such, special effort should be made to capture these containers. It may be possible to partner with a local organization, charity, or company to run the returnable recycling program. Some events even charge recycling companies a fee for the privilege of collecting all the returnable containers. These types of arrangements can reduce the event organizers’ efforts, support local jobs, and get the material out of the waste stream. Other Recyclable Food & Beverage Containers - Aluminum, glass, steel, and plastic cans and bottles should be collected in designated containers with clear signage. (See section below on signage and sample containers.) A well-marked recycling container should be placed next to every trash container, even those for vendors, to make recycling as convenient as trash disposal. Wood Pallets – If vendors have product delivered on pallets, either require that vendors take them back or designate a space for empty pallets to be stored, for later management. Pallets may be collected by a pallet recycling company, residents, and local companies in need of pallets. They may also be chipped for mulch, bio-mass fuel, or for composting. Grease – Two types of businesses are interested in collecting grease: rendering companies and those that turn it into bio-fuel. In either case, the company will provide containers for collecting the grease. These are typically 55-gallon barrels. On occasion, larger tanks are provided that can be kept at an event site for a longer period until full. This is particularly useful if many events are held at the same site during the year. There may also be residents in the community producing their own biofuel that might be willing to collect and remove the grease. D. Compost A range of materials generated at special events are biodegradable and can be composted. Common compostable materials include: animal manures and bedding; wet or soiled paper or cardboard; vegetative waste (e.g., flowers, brush, leaves and chipped wood); food waste; and biodegradable flatware, dishware, and bags. These materials can be composted either off- or on-site. Below are some general composting guidelines, and a special note on food composting. 7 Off-Site Composting • • • • Contract with a permitted compost company to take material. The event organizers need to clearly understand and implement the requirements for acceptable materials, including allowable levels of non-degradable materials such as plastic. Determine the type and number of storage containers needed to store the organic waste. The containers are likely to be provided by the composting company contracted to take the material. Ensure that the storage location is away from event participants to reduce odor concerns. Always keep food waste in covered containers to reduce pest and odor problems. On-Site Composting • • • Check with local and state authorities regarding permits and requirements for on-site composting. Composting food waste typically is more highly regulated than composting plant material and animal-related materials. Consult with local authorities and state environmental agencies for on-site composting technical assistance. Funding assistance may also be available through the state. On-site composting requires site management (e.g., turning the material, and monitoring temperature and moisture) and a plan for the use of the end-product. Ideal sites are flat, away from water sources, and are located a reasonable distance from neighbors. Special Notes about Food Waste Composting - While none of the participant events included food waste composting, other special events in the Northeast have done so. Some specific lessons learned from these included: • • Require all vendors to use biodegradable flatware and dishware. Otherwise, the food waste will be “contaminated” with plastic and other non-biodegradable materials, making it more difficult and costly to compost the food waste. Plan to use a volunteer-staffed picking line to remove unwanted materials, when nondegradable waste is unavoidable. While messy, this is a very effective strategy. This public display of separating food from recyclables and waste also creates an opportunity for the public to learn about the importance of recycling and composting. For more information, see the Lowell Folk Festival http://www.lowellfolkfestival.org/recycle.htm and the Common Ground Fair http://www.mofga.org/fb_12zgb.html. E. Handling Special Waste Special waste includes hazardous materials such as car batteries, chemicals, mercury-containing products, car oil, and some electrical devices. It may also include potentially infectious waste such as hypodermic needles, used bandages, or other products containing blood or human waste. Regulations regarding the safe handling of these materials are governed by federal, state, and local laws. Waste managers should be familiar with these rules, even in the absence of a recycling program. State-specific information for the Northeast states may be obtained from the following: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection http://dep.state.ct.us/wst/recycle/ctrecycles.htm • Delaware Natural Resources & Environmental Control http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/awm • Delaware Solid Waste Authority http://www.dswa.com/ • Maine State Planning Office http://www.state.me.us/spo/recycle/ • Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/ • 8 New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services http://www.des.state.nh.us/ • New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/recycle/ • New York Department of Environmental Conservation http://www.dec.state.ny.us/ • Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/dep/site/default.asp • Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation http://www.rirrc.org/main.cfm?CFID=34547&CFTOKEN=35981794 • Vermont Agency of Natural Resources http://www.anr.state.vt.us/ • II. Getting Started – Understanding Recycling Program Details Developing a recycling program for special events may seem like a daunting effort, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, there is every reason that a recycling program can add energy, interest and enthusiasm to an event without requiring significant additional time or resources. This section lays out the key components to consider in a recycling program. You do not need to do them all. In many cases it makes sense to start with the easier, less expensive, yet important efforts, and expand them in future years. The key is to get started. A. Planning for Success As with all aspects of an event, it is helpful to have a clear plan for the recycling program. By ‘event’, this document applies to scheduled and planned experiences such as flower shows or craft fairs, municipal or organization-sponsored celebrations, agricultural or cultural fairs and celebrations--a gathering where people attend for educational, social or other purposes. The number of attendees and the location will have a direct bearing on the possible scale and scope of the recycling that can be planned. To the extent possible, start thinking about recycling at the beginning of the event planning process (e.g., site layout, vendor outreach, budgeting, and public relations efforts). Be sure to develop and document a Recycling Plan. The written Recycling Plan will help to ensure that implementation goes smoothly, and will be essential if the task of program coordination is transferred to a different person. Also, it is a useful tool for evaluating and revising the event’s recycling program. For promoting the event’s recycling program, have a booth to describe the recycling efforts being implemented, how attendees and vendors can participate, and the benefits of recycling to the community. B. Understanding Existing Conditions A critical step in the planning process is to have a good understanding of the event’s existing waste. Some basic questions to ask at the outset are listed below, and a more detailed Planning Checklist is included in Appendix B.3 • How much waste is typically generated at the event (in weight or volume)? • Who manages waste collection? • Who hauls the waste away? • What types of trash and recycling containers are used and who provides them? • What are the waste-related costs for trash and recycling containers, hauling, disposal, recycling, and labor (either in dollars or volunteer time)? • What materials are recycled? • Who generates what types of waste and how much? Guessing is fine! • What recycling opportunities exist in the community? • Are there local organizations, agencies, or individuals that might be interested in supporting recycling efforts? 3 The Recycling Plans for the participant events also provide examples of how these questions were answered. 9 Answering these questions will help to draw a picture of existing conditions. This will make it easier to identify which materials to target for recycling, viable strategies for managing these materials, the financial implications, and which key individuals or organizations can help carry out the efforts. Based on data collected and analyzed in the course of designing and implementing the six event recycling programs, the amount of waste generated per event attendee ranged from 0.22 pounds to 1.25 pounds per person. See Table 1. for details. Table 1. Waste Generated Per Event Events Bath Heritage Days Clinton Lions Club Agricultural Fair Deerfield Agricultural Fair HCS Flower Show Stowe Celebrates Summer Tunbridge World’s Fair 75,000 Pounds of Total Materials Generated (Recycled & Disposed) 16,187 Pounds of Generated Materials per Attendee .22 17,000 6,790 .40 120,000 6,720 Not reported 50,000 150,000 7,034 1.25 1.05 Estimated Attendees 2,889 45,000 .90 C. Targeting the Waste Stream “What’s in the waste?” is one of the first questions to ask when developing an event Recycling Plan. When this question was asked of the six event organizers, many could readily answer the question. They already knew the types of materials generated by different participants, and where and when this waste occurred. Following is a description of the most common types of materials found in the waste stream at the selected special events. 1) PAPER PRODUCTS Corrugated Cardboard - Large amounts of corrugated cardboard, or old corrugated containers (OCC), are found in special event waste. At the selected events, cardboard averaged about 14 percent of the material generated, and was as high as 23 percent at the Tunbridge Agricultural Fair and 30 percent at the HCS Flower Show. Most of these cardboard boxes were generated by vendors at the beginning of events, when they were unpacking supplies and setting up booths. While some cardboard is “waxed” to protect raw fruits and vegetables from spoilage, most is dry and clean, and readily recyclable. (Waxed cardboard can be composted, but typically cannot be recycled into paper products.) Recyclable Paper – Event organizers and vendors generate significant quantities of recyclable paper--leftover fliers, maps, newsletters, or other marketing materials. For example at the Stowe Celebrates Summer event, 23 percent of the total waste was from unused event publications. As long as these materials are kept clean and dry, they can be recycled in many community recycling programs. 10