Appendix F: Recurring Zero Waste Recommendations—Interview results Upstream measures: regulating Recycle stations Use of signage Use of back-of-house sorting Use of Recycling Educators vendor supplies Ian Potential actions that can be Best if no alternatives Signage helpful Strongly recommended against Experienced working with Williamson, taken include 1) the event are available; every but not sufficient using back-of-house sorting volunteer group Tzu-chi who are Metro organizers purchasing all of the garbage bin is to prevent high method alone; in his experience it committed to the cause and Vancouver recyclable dishware and then accompanied by contamination is only effective when combined knowledgeable about waste selling it to the food vendors as recycling bins with signage and waste monitors sorting rules. Recommends a condition of their involvement working with these kinds of and then adding an additional Recycle station monitors can volunteer groups. $0.25 fee to all meals to cover perform preliminary sorting using the additional cost of garbage grabber tool if event sustainable dishware or 2) attendees do not properly sort Issuing a letter/agreement form their waste items that all vendors must read, then monitoring their compliance with the terms of that agreement Maryanne Strategies used with success: Has used one waste Important to Did not use back-of-house Educators are highly effective MacDonald, 1) City of London banned sorting station per 4 recycle stations sorting. when: Waste Free Styrofoam (at one large, food vendors easy to locate: drawing from a pool of World, centrally-located park where the regardless of event used tents and Preliminary sorting performed by committed volunteers majority of festivals are held); attendance flags above the the recycle station monitors using adequately trained (in London ON 2) Recycling educators acting as sorting sites to do garbage grabbing tool. advance if possible) monitors for banned materials, Best if no alternatives so. provided with reference whereby if a banned waste item are available; every materials laminated on site is brought to the recycle station, garbage bin is Signage on bins supervised by a volunteer they determine the food vendor accompanied by only, signage coordinator who rotates who distributed it and recycling bins; bins are minimal due to around the various stations addressing issue with vendor flipped over indicating the strong reliance to answer any questions 3) Pre-purchasing materials for that the station is on Recycling backup if vendors not aware of closed when a monitor Educators rules is not present
Appendix F: Recurring Zero Waste Recommendations—Interview results Upstream measures: regulating vendor supplies Recycle stations Use of signage Use of back-of-house sorting Use of Recycling Educators Ian Williamson, Metro Vancouver Potential actions that can be taken include 1) the event organizers purchasing all of the recyclable dishware and then selling it to the food vendors as a condition of their involvement and then adding an additional $0.25 fee to all meals to cover the additional cost of sustainable dishware or 2) Issuing a letter/agreement form that all vendors must read, then monitoring their compliance with the terms of that agreement Best if no alternatives are available; every garbage bin is accompanied by recycling bins Signage helpful but not sufficient to prevent high contamination Strongly recommended against using back-of-house sorting method alone; in his experience it is only effective when combined with signage and waste monitors Recycle station monitors can perform preliminary sorting using garbage grabber tool if event attendees do not properly sort their waste items Experienced working with volunteer group Tzu-chi who are committed to the cause and knowledgeable about waste sorting rules. Recommends working with these kinds of volunteer groups. Maryanne MacDonald, Waste Free World, London ON Strategies used with success: 1) City of London banned Styrofoam (at one large, centrally-located park where the majority of festivals are held); 2) Recycling educators acting as monitors for banned materials, whereby if a banned waste item is brought to the recycle station, they determine the food vendor who distributed it and addressing issue with vendor 3) Pre-purchasing materials for backup if vendors not aware of rules Has used one waste sorting station per 4 food vendors regardless of event attendance Best if no alternatives are available; every garbage bin is accompanied by recycling bins; bins are flipped over indicating that the station is closed when a monitor is not present Important to recycle stations easy to locate: used tents and flags above the sorting sites to do so. Signage on bins only, signage minimal due to the strong reliance on Recycling Educators Did not use back-of-house sorting. Preliminary sorting performed by the recycle station monitors using garbage grabbing tool. Educators are highly effective when: drawing from a pool of committed volunteers adequately trained (in advance if possible) provided with reference materials laminated on site supervised by a volunteer coordinator who rotates around the various stations to answer any questions
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