Let’s celebrate without littering: recommendations for sustainable events

Holidays and events are an integral and pleasant part of our lives. However, after every event, there is a rather tiring moment when you need to organize and organize everything, and there is really a lot of waste after all the holidays.

The waste management center of the Alytus region, being a sponsor of many festivals held in the region, places many sorting containers in the places coordinated with the organizers and notices that they fill up quite quickly with the waste generated during the events: disposable dishes, plastic and paper bags, beverage packaging, leftovers from uneaten food.

In order to reduce the amount of this waste, so that festive events are not only entertaining, but also develop responsible consumption habits, take care of preserving a clean environment in the broadest sense, the Alytus Region Waste Management Center has prepared recommendations for event organizers and visitors.

“As a company, we are responsible for managing the generated waste, but the most important goal, which is provided for in the regional waste prevention and management plan, and which should be the inner conviction of every person, is the prevention of waste, reducing its amount. Therefore, we invite you to follow these recommendations, make sustainability a priority for every event and achieve the expected results at the same time”, invites Aurimas Uldukis, director of the Alytus Region Waste Management Center.

ARATC Guidelines for Sustainable Events

• Reduce the amount of printed matter – send and distribute event-related information, invitations to participants digitally.
• For the event, choose a place that is convenient to reach by public transport, to come on foot, and that is suitable for people with disabilities.
• Ensure drinking water stations are available at permanent event venues.
• Encourage event participants to bring and use their own drinking glasses and reusable shopping bags
• Encourage vendors and food suppliers not to use disposable dishes at the event
• Use the deposit system by offering to buy food and drinks in reusable containers/cups with the organizer’s logo that can be returned and retrieved for a deposit or kept as a souvenir
• Choose dishes made from local products for the catering of event guests, give preference to the services of local producers
• Avoid free stuff, promotional items, etc. during distribution events
• Estimate the number of participants and arrange the required amount of waste sorting containers in advance
• Responsibly estimate all resources used for the event to avoid overconsumption
• Emphasize sustainability requirements in all purchases and communications related to event activities.