Events Management

Towns and villages across Moray host a wide variety of outside events throughout the year. These can range from a farmers market, to a Highland Games or a sporting event like the Moray Marafun. Regardless of size, all events create waste and litter, both within and surrounding the event setting. As an event organiser we want you to take greater responsibility for reducing litter and non-recyclable waste at your events and we want visitors and spectators to enjoy the event in a safe and litter-free environment.

Once you know the type and amount of waste you expect at your event you can make the necessary recycling, waste and litter arrangements. Please give us at least 28 days notice.

Recycling and Waste Collection Service

The recycling and waste collection needs will vary greatly depending on the type of event and the size of your audience. Our staff will be able to advise you of the best type and the amount of bins you will need for your event.

We can create a tailored waste management plan for your event and provide:

• guidance on commercial waste and recycling collections and disposal
• a choice of bins for recycling, waste and litter
• a countywide collection service
• all necessary legal documentation to ensure legal compliance for your peace of mind
• excellent customer support

Cleansing

Many of the events across the county can require extra cleansing to ensure that the event setting and the surrounding streets stay relatively litter-free. Depending on the size, location and nature of your event, cleansing may already be a condition of your entertainment licence.

You can arrange for volunteers to litter-pick and clean the area, but it is important to remember that they should be working towards a high standard of street cleanliness.  We can tell you the type of cleansing measures that your event will need and the different options available to you. To make arrangements for the extra street cleaning to take place after your event, please contact us.

Limiting Litter

There are a number of measures you can take to make people more responsible for their own litter and waste during your event. These include raising the awareness of littering and recycling and ‘greening’ the event by:

• making regular announcements over the public address system to gently remind people to put all their waste in the litter and recycling bins
• acknowledging the support of local businesses and the general public at the event, who are disposing of their litter and keeping the event litter-free
• erecting banners and displays to give a visual reminder that it is a litter-free event and that commitment is needed to keep our environment ‘clean and green’
• engaging directly with your audience through anti-litter and waste management promotions
• informing local media of your efforts to ‘green’ your event

Volunteers and Staff

Motivated staff are important to the overall success of greening your event, you may find it useful to provide some training/support for your volunteers to ensure that they can undertake their duties safely and effectively. They could:

• monitor and empty waste and recycling bins regularly. If possible post volunteers at waste stations to make sure that waste is placed in the right bin. (If waste stations are not monitored during the event, people will be less inclined to separate their waste)
• conduct occasional sweeps of the site to keep your event litter-free
• educate visitors at larger events how to separate their waste properly and tell them about the system your event is using. This will help reduce contamination in the different bins.

It may be helpful to provide special shirts for your volunteers so that they are easy to recognise by people looking for waste information.

To remove all traces of litter and waste created by your event it is a good idea to get as many staff and volunteers as possible to help with the post-event cleanup, you should circulate details of how to get involved well in advance of your event.

We can help facilitate community cleanups by:

• providing cleanup equipment, including brushes, shovels, litter picks, bags and gloves
• collecting equipment and bagged waste after the cleanup

Community cleanups not only help the environment, but they are a great way of:

• encouraging those taking part to take pride in their community
• building team spirit 
• improving community relations

Event Checklist