How to Recycle at Your Earth Day Event

1. Plan Ahead
2. Waste Reduction
3. Choose Your Disposal Method
4. Decide What to Recycle
5. Supplies and Setup
6. Get Volunteers
7. Collect Your Data

1. Plan Ahead

The first step in any major undertaking is a plan. This undertaking is no different. Your plan should include:

• What materials can be collected for recycling in your community,
• Understanding what barriers may exist
• What opportunities you have to prevent waste from happening in the first place
• Learning from what have other people done at their events for their recycling and waste prevention
• Establishing your goals

Once you have answered the over-arching questions, you can narrow your plan down to include the more finite details:

• To-do lists – Make sure you have one for each person involved and that each list includes due dates, supplies needed and budget restrictions.
• Event layout – Do a quick map of your location and decide where receptacles will be set up. Also, make a list of signage needs and add these locations to the map as well.
• Event coordinator – Pick a leader, if there already isn’t one, and create a staff contact information sheet. Make sure everyone knows their role and who to report to if things change.
• Volunteer/employee sheet – Along with a contact sheet, make sure all tasks and shifts are documented and distributed.

Back to top

2. Think About Waste Prevention

Waste prevention at your event is just as important as recycling and composting. Making sure that all potential waste savings are accounted for ensures that you aren’t making the job of disposal bigger than it needs to be. In order to do this, review all your streams of waste and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do you really need it?
2. Is there an alternative that creates less waste?
3. Is there a similar product that can be used that is reusable or biodegradable?

Back to top

3. Choose Your Disposal Method

Once you have reduced your waste and made a plan, it is important to decide which disposal method you are going to use. Are you going to mix recyclables together, or keep them separate? You can do either. The pros and cons of each option are outlined below.

Source Separation

Recyclables are often separated by specific type. Examples:

• Paper recycling would have many bins, including: white paper, colored paper, cardboard, office mail, magazines/catalogs, etc.
• Plastic recycling would have bins for each type of plastic: #1-7

Pros:

• Bin items are extremely specific, with fewer questions as to what goes where
• Separated materials can have a higher market value
• It creates more environmental awareness for employees

Cons:

• It requires more recycling bins (and a higher setup cost)
• Your recycling coordinator may have to spend time sorting materials
• You may have to find multiple destinations for recyclables if they are source separated

Commingled Collection

In this version of collection, recyclables are mixed together, and the separation process happens at a Material Recovery Facility. Examples:

• Paper recycling has one bin to collect all paper
• Plastic recycling has one bin to collect plastics #1-7 together

Pros:

• It is less time-consuming for employees
• It usually involves larger participating groups
• The recycling coordinator will have less time invested

Cons:

• Market values may be lower (e.g. mixed office paper may lower the value of computer paper if both are combined)
• Materials may be more easily contaminated if commingled
• Less opportunity for employee education about recycling

Once your collection method is decided upon, the next step is to determine how the materials will be hauled away.

Determining how to haul your recyclables away can be one of the greatest challenges. You should be realistic when planning when it comes to how much your staff/event is capable of recycling. The following are the most common hauling options available:

Drop-Off Recycling Locations

This is preferable if you have a small volume of recyclable materials. Questions to ask include:

1. Is there a minimum volume requirement?
2. How much will be paid for recyclables?
3. Is there an account option for payment?
4. What materials are accepted?
5. How do the recyclables need to be sorted?
6. What materials are considered “contamination”?
7. Is there a charge for contaminated materials?

Pick-Up Providers

This requires a larger quantity and includes hauling fees. However, this may be your only option. If so, reach out to your local government representative, as they should be able to help you set it up. Topics to cover:

1. Tell them what materials you have to recycle
2. Expected quantity (e.g. pounds or tons) of each material generated
3. Number of expected attendees
4. How the recycler can access your location
5. What recyclables are accepted?
6. What is the volume requirement?
7. Is there a charge involved?
8. How often will charges occur?

Back to top

4. What to Recycle

A lot of what you recycle will be determined by what disposal services you utilize. The best option is to get a list of accepted items from them and then go from there. Besides materials, you can also explore what to do with leftover food and organic scraps. There are some organizations that collect leftover food from events to be brought to food banks or for a similar community outreach. This option is a great one, since the food is not only staying out of the landfill, but more importantly, is being given to those who need it.

If organizations such as these don’t exist in your area, composting would be the next best step. Make sure to post what can and can’t be composted, utilize local agencies and programs that take compost, or work out a deal with a local farm or garden center who currently composts. For basic composting start-up, check out our How to Start a Compost Pile.

Back to top

5. Supplies: Make it Eye-Catching

It is no use to do all this work if no one uses the bins while the event is underway. Like anything else you want costumers to be excited about, presentation, persuasion and consistence are the key components to making the program work. Starting with your collection bins, go for:

• Clearly labeled recycling bins with easy distinctions of what goes inside
• Appealing aesthetics, making sure your bins are significantly different from trash containers
• Conveniently placed near trash containers to make it easy and understandable
• The correct size opening for whatever material you are collecting
• Anchored down and secure bins that are monitored and serviced frequently

Make sure to not just focus on the attendees. All staff, vendors and food sellers need to know the rules. Make sure to inform them with clear instructions and a go-to person for any questions that might come up.

Back to top

6. Volunteers and Staff

Both these areas are very important to have. Staff will be responsible for the overall event and will need to be the touch-point for your volunteers. Volunteers will show up the day of the event and be limited to particular tasks. Both are a necessary part of the event and are keys to success. The organization, Recycling Advocates, gives the following breakdown:

• Minimum of one volunteer per planned recycling station
• Minimum of  two volunteers to troubleshoot during the event
• One recycling coordinator or main person to report to during the event

Back to top

7. Data Collection

As the event is going on, use this time to collect data and keep track of what you have done. Learn from the experience by collecting feedback from your staff, volunteers, attendees and vendors. You can also ask the collection agency (if you use one) for weights and amount of materials collected. This information will be useful for your next events planning and preparation.

Recycling Advocates uses the following equation to determine recycling rates:

Recycling rate = Amount recycled / (Amount Recycled + Amount Disposed)

For example, if an event recycled 5,000 pounds of material and disposed of 3,000 pounds of material,
the recycling rate would be 62.5 percent (5,000 / (5,000 + 3,000) = 62.5%).

This information is useful when talking about your event, or getting press for your accomplishments.

For more detailed information about recycling at any event, Recycling Advocates, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, created a wonderful Recycling Guide.

Back to top