Planning waste management for events in Trafalgar Square

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1 Planning waste management for events in Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square is one of the UK s most iconic destinations and the Greater London Authority (GLA) manages events held there throughout the year. These events attract thousands of people and as a result generate significant amounts of street waste. In Spring 2012, the square hosted the city s St Patrick s Day Parade, St George s Day celebrations, and Vaishakhi, a celebration of the Sikh New Year. The RMP tool is a great way to record the waste produced at Trafalgar Square events. By looking at a range of GLA-led events we can gather information we have not previously collated. Looking forward this can be used to see how things develop and improve event by event and year on year. Olivia Pearcey, GLA Events for London team

2 Monitoring waste the first step to more sustainable waste management Each year, the GLA s Events for London team organises a series of events taking place in Trafalgar Square, each attracting thousands of visitors. The GLA team was keen to identify the waste streams, and quantities of each waste that was being produced by its events. This specifically included identifying wastes that were being taken off site by the supply chain. With more accurate data they could begin the challenge of analysing trends and looking for ways to reduce waste at future events in the square and across London. The key waste streams identified for all these events were: audience food waste and food packaging waste, and production waste; e.g. from staging and construction including event dressing, leaflets and souvenirs (such as flags). Each of the events had an entertainment programme with music stages, catering and other activities to attract visitors to celebrate together. This included: The St Patrick s Day Parade began at Hyde Park Corner, finishing in Trafalgar Square. A programme of entertainment delivered in the square for over six hours and attracted around 100,000 visitors. For St George s Day, the team recreated an English sustainable country garden, with bandstand, in the square. This was open for visitors throughout the day. Vaisakhi is a popular event celebrating the Sikh New Year. This year was the 10 th anniversary attracting around 30,000 people throughout the day. The event celebrated British Sikh culture, and included music and DJ sets from traditional to modern music. Using the RMP Tool The RMP tool ( is a free online tool for event organisers, venues and suppliers to help reduce waste created from an event at every stage of the supply chain. By understanding this information, and having it all in one place, event managers can: forecast waste types and volumes, measure reductions in waste to landfill, and implement actions to reduce overall waste and increase recycling and re-use.

3 By using the RMP tool, the GLA events team: Identified their waste streams; Engaged with the Council and internal facilities team, who managed the waste contract, to understand better what happens to the waste it collected; Developed a baseline with which to record, share and improve on success; Engaged with suppliers early on, helping the team to see how supplier waste contributed to the overall waste produced; Identified innovative opportunities to re-use event materials; Provided a mechanism for working with suppliers to monitor improvements in future; Began to identify trends across the three events. It is evident that the more complex events are producing more street waste (although it is early days and more event data is required to analyse the trend accurately); and Began to integrate events activity with GLA policies & objectives on sustainability and waste management. This has helped to identify objectives for future years. Top tip: production and catering contractors may have sub-contractors who will also be coming on site and bringing waste with them it takes time to identify and engage with people at this level, so start the discussions early.

4 Key challenges As well as the main production contractors, many small caterers are contracted for each event. In order to test the RMP tool and gather the most significant data, the team decided to use the tool with the larger contractors and suppliers this year, with the plan to use it with smaller suppliers in future once the system for engaging suppliers and collecting data is more established. Each event has its own production company that manages sub-contracts with stage and set suppliers. Gathering information from further down the supply chain takes time, and in future more time will be allowed to ensure that they are aware of the tool and the information they need to enter. The GLA usually engages with event contractors on a one-to-one basis as it is difficult to bring suppliers, especially smaller suppliers, together for briefings. This meant that training to use the toolkit was done on a one-to-one basis, requiring more time and resource on the part of the event manager. briefings and remote support played an important part in this process. Re-use The team also found ways to re-use materials including astro turf, timber and wooden pallets. These materials had been used by the garden designers for the St George s Day garden and, after the event, were taken to the London 2012 Olympic Park for use in a temporary housing unit for park cleaners. The Camp Manager for the housing unit project arranged for collection of the materials during the load out period of the event at Trafalgar Square. This was a joint initiative of the production company (Sevens7) and the GLA Events for London Team.

5 Results The main objective of using the tool was to identify waste streams. This would then give the team a more accurate map of what waste was being produced by different areas of each event. This objective was met. Working with their waste contractor to populate the tool provided evidence to the team to understand what happens to the waste it collects. Using the toolkit helped the GLA engage with its contractors and suppliers around waste management and ways to reduce waste at events. This has now set a platform for future discussion on how to make continual improvements. Waste data collected by using the tool The majority of waste is street waste in and around the square. This is collected by Westminster City Council and the GLA s joint waste contractor as co-mingled waste (from street litter bins) and taken to the Cringle Dock Waste Transfer Station in Battersea. The contractor was able to provide figures on the average amount of waste generated in the square on a non-event day enabling the GLA to get a more accurate picture of the impact of its events on street waste: The St Patrick s Day celebrations in March produced approximately five tonnes of waste from the street litter bins in and around the square and from other street waste discarded on the floor. The average amount at this time of year is 250kg. Of this 60% was recycled (primarily paper, metal and glass) through the waste contractor s MRF facility. In addition to street waste, a large number of programmes and leaflets were left over from this event something that will be considered in planning future events. At St George s Day in April, approximately one tonne of street waste was collected from in and around the square. The average for this time of year is around 300kg. Of this 40% was recycled (paper, metal and wood) through the waste contractor s MRF facility In addition to the street waste, 0.7 tonnes of astro turf, timber and wooden pallets were re-used. At Vaisakhi in May, approximately two tonnes of waste was collected in and around the square. The average amount at this time of year is 450kg. Of this, just over 50% was recycled (paper and metal) through the waste contractor s MRF facility including 120kg of programmes.

6 Next steps Now the GLA events for London team know more about the types of waste being created at its events, and the amount of waste produced by different kinds of events, they can start to identify where they need to focus their efforts to reduce waste. The tool has given them a unique opportunity to engage with suppliers on waste management, providing the foundation for working together to develop sustainable waste management plans that will be understood by everyone coming on site. Future actions will include: Roll out of tool to cover all Trafalgar Square events; Measurement of cost savings as wastes are reduced or recycled / re-used more; Use the feedback and suggestions options in the tool to enable contractors to feed in to how waste management should work in the square; Use of tool at other events sponsored by the Events for London team; and Challenging the team to come up with new and innovative ways to increase re-use. Find out how the RMP tool could help your organisation improve waste management A good waste management plan can save your organisation money and cut your carbon emissions. By using the RMP tool you can access the knowledge you need to make your plan. For further information visit:

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