Planning Guide

Low Waste Event Planning Guide 

Anoka County Resources Receptacles 

  • Portable x-frame receptacles for recycling and organics 
  • Bags for each waste stream 

Signage 

  • Hanging signs for waste stations 

Technical Assistance 

  • Staff answer questions and provide guidance 
  • Free technical services through Anoka County 

Additional Resources 

• Sample vendor letter (see Anoka County event recycling page for this resource) 

Pre-Event Planning 

  1. Meet with the event coordinator, hauler, and other applicable people. 
  2. Set goals for the event: Achieve a waste diversion rate of ___% • (Example: We want to achieve 50% waste diversion at this year’s event) • Increase public knowledge about waste diversion. Why? This is helpful after the event and before the next event to let volunteers and staff know that what they did matters. 
  3. Brainstorm the expected waste stream: Consider what will be served by the vendors and what people may bring in with them. Include images of the expected waste on your waste station signs. Why? The items on site will affect what receptacles you need and what education you must provide to vendors, volunteers, and staff. 
  4. Plan the waste stations • All receptacles must be located together, at least one trash, one recycling, and one organics container (if using). Include signage for organics. Recruit volunteers to stand by each organics container when collecting organics. Use a layout map of your event to plan the sites of the waste stations. Place waste stations near heavy traffic areas, food vendors, and gathering places. Only put as many stations as you can have volunteers. A large event doesn’t necessarily need 20 stations. Attendees can walk to a waste station. 
  5. Decide who will set up and take down the waste stations. Decide who will empty the bags throughout the event and weigh the materials. Communicate with your vendors, share your goals with the vendors, get them excited to contribute to your low-waste event. Ask vendors to only use compostable food service items (paper or plastic made from plants) Rewrite vendor contracts or permits so that they include a section on low waste (ex: require • compostable food service items). Plan for additional hauling: contact your waste hauler and find out if they can offer organics hauling or additional recycling carts for your event 

Event Day  

  1. Communication: Have 1-2 lead staff or volunteers assigned as the go-to leads during the event. Train waste station volunteers right before the event if collecting organics. Answer questions from volunteers and event attendees. Take advantage of opportunities to engage and educate the event attendees, including website, email, and social media.
  2. Waste Stations: Place receptacles and signage at each waste station. Ensure the bags at waste stations are emptied as needed. IMPORTANT: Weigh bags each time they are taken from the waste station (you may borrow a scale from the County). Relieve volunteers as needed for breaks.  Check in with vendors as they set up. Make sure they are using utensils and foodware they said they would (ie. BPI certified compostable). If they are not, communicate this to waste station volunteers. Have a supply on hand that vendors can purchase.

After the Event: 

  1. Calculate the waste diversion rate and share it with event attendees, volunteers, and event staff (Organics lbs) + (Recycle lbs) / (Trash lbs + Organics lbs + Recycle lbs). Ask volunteers what they noticed or what could be improved. Reflect on the successes and opportunities for improvement. 
  2. Follow up with staff and volunteers after the event to communicate successes, waste diversion rate, and a thank you.  

Click here for a printable downloadable pdf of the above information.