Recycling at Special Events

“Greening” Your Special Event

Block parties, cookouts, birthday celebrations, and civic association events are all ideal opportunities to help the environment by reducing the amount of waste that is generated and capture recyclable materials. The City of Alexandria Recycling Office wants to help you help the environment! Please review the information below. If you have any questions, please call or email the Recycling Coordinator,
703-751-5872.

Zero Waste
What is Zero Waste? Zero Waste is a philosophy and a design principle for the 21st Century. It includes 'recycling' but goes beyond recycling by taking a 'whole system' approach to the vast flow of resources and waste through human society.

Zero Waste maximizes recycling, minimizes waste, reduces consumption and ensures that products are made to be reused, repaired or recycled back into nature or the marketplace.

You can green your special event by applying the zero waste concept. The following websites can provide you with more information on having a zero waste event:

• Zero Waste SA
• Grassroots Recycling Network
• Zero Waste America

Reducing the Amount of Trash at Your Event
The amount of trash produced at any event can easily be reduced by the following tips:

• Buy items in bulk. Don’t use individual serving packs (i.e. sugar, pepper, salt packets).
• Reuse decorations and props.
• Use cloth napkins, if possible.
• Avoid non-recyclable containers
• Use resusable/compostable/biodegradable plates, containers, utensils, etc.
• Provide and promote recycling (for large events, contact the Alexandria Recycling Office for containers).

For more resources on reducing the amount of trash at your event, please visit:

• Recycling Advocates Event Guide
• California State – Six Simple Tips to Reduce Waste at your Special Event
• Clear Stream – Planning and Promoting Checklist

Recycling at Your Event
Recycling is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to reduce the amount of trash at your event. Recycling can be set up in four easy steps.

1. Decide to have recycling at your event and establish a coordinator, especially for larger events.

2. Plan and set-up a collection system.
   • What kind of trash and recycling containers will you use?

   • How many trash and recycling containers will you use? The rule of thumb is one recycling container for every trash can.

   • Where will the trash and recycling containers be located? Keep the trash and recycling containers next to one another in highly visible and easily accessible locations.

   • Who will be responsible for emptying the trash and recycling containers?

   • Who will dispose of the trash and recycling at the end of the event? Hauler, individual, etc. For small events, the City’s recycling drop-off locations are available.

3. Promote and provide basic recycling education.
   • Announce at the beginning and throughout the event that recycling is available.

   • Provide signs that state what is recyclable.

   • Ensure that the trash and recycling containers are appropriately labeled.

4. Monitor the trash and recycling containers for any contamination (i.e. trash in the recycling container and vice versa). Have volunteers remind event goers about what is and is not recyclable and where recyclables go, especially for large events.

Need Recycling Containers for your Special Event?
The City of Alexandria Recycling Office has 15 ClearStream recycling containers that can be loaned out for events in the City of Alexandria. Please review the documents below for more information and requirements.

• ClearStream Event Planning
• ClearStream Recycling Directions
• ClearStream Recycling Container City Loan Agreement

For more information about obtaining the ClearStream recycling containers please call or email the Recycling Coordinator, 703-751-5872.