Smart Waste Management for Music Festivals.

Effective waste management is currently one of the biggest challenges for festival organisers. Usually part of their sustainability objectives waste management needs careful planning and implementation to ensure a measurable impact. These initiatives can be expensive, can organisers use smart waste management to improve the process without increasing costs.

Every festival entity produces sustainability objectives which they measure and report on every year. Aside from fitting well with their public persona these initiatives may also be subject to regulatory compliance in some jurisdictions. Waste management is a big part of a festival’s sustainability credentials but a combination of technology and well thought out processes can help achieve waste management goals whilst reducing costs at the same time. 

Festival Waste. 
Waste management for music festival organisers can be challenging because of the numerous types of waste generated. Typically, waste can include plastic from bottles, cups, wristbands and general packaging as well as food waste from leftovers or discarded food along with beverage cans and bottles. Festival-goers are also guilty of leaving camping equipment and abandoned clothing or accessories on a festival site plus an increasing number of electronic waste items like batteries or discarded small devices. Waste water needs careful handling because of the various classifications which affect how it is collected and disposed of. All this waste needs to be collected, sorted and disposed of using a professional registered contractor. 

Environmental Impact and Compliance. 
Any waste items that cannot be recycled or are non-biodegradable have a high possibility of ending up in landfill sites or being incinerated. If the post festival cleanup is not thorough the impact on the local site can be significant with food waste, chemicals and other toxins getting into the environment harming animals and other wildlife. Festivals operating in the UK and EU need to comply with various enforced regulations which include the Waste Duty of Care (Environmental Protection Act 1990), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), EU Waste Framework Directive and the ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems). Any contractor employed to handle and dispose of waste must also have the necessary licences and permits which vary depending on region. 

Technology Initiatives. 
Fortunately, there are evolving technologies that can assist organisers in managing their on-site waste. Waste bins can have fill-level sensors installed which generates notifications when full so they can be emptied before overflow onto the ground. Waste management contractors can use automated AI sorting systems which help sort recyclable form general waste. Some organisers are now using smart recycling stations which incentivise festival-goers to sort waste using gamification solutions or other digital rewards. Increasingly the use of RFID technology is enabling wristbands to be linked to deposits for reusable cups cutlery or plates encouraging festival-goers to return items after use. Organisers are increasingly collecting more data on festival site waste with some using AI and sensors allowing them to use analytics to measure and report on progress over time. 

Other Initiatives. 
Aside from technology organisers should build a smart waste management strategy that incorporates other factors. This can include strict waste management guidelines for contractors and food and beverage suppliers to use recyclable materials. Providing sustainability and waste guidelines to all festival-goers can help reduce the impact of waste and initiatives like ‘leave no trace’ and ‘take your waste home’ can have a significant impact. Simple tasks like on-site strategic bin placement can have an impact on waste management too. A smart waste management approach should encompass both technology combined with other initiatives to help reduce overall waste and process it more efficiently potentially reducing collection and processing costs for organisers. 

For festival organisers planning their next events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by Julio Lopez via Pexels

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