Veolia, in partnership with Westminster City Council, has announced it achieved a 61% recycling rate for special events in 2024, the highest it has ever reported.
Veolia Westminster said it implemented a new approach to large-scale clean-ups last year that maximised recycling capture.
This included introducing food waste bins for stallholders serving food at special events, which enabled the waste to be recycled into biogas and fertiliser.
Veolia said it strategically places textile bins at sporting events, which has “significantly boosted” recycling rates.
At the London Winter Run 10k, Veolia partnered with Cancer Research to capture jumpers for reuse.
The waste management company said the jumpers accounted for nearly 20% of all recycling collected at the event and yielded the highest recycling rate ever recorded at a special event in the City of Westminster at 86.92%.
Scott Edgell, General Manager at Veolia, commented: “Special events are full of challenges including large crowds, high volumes of waste, and of course contamination and these exceptional recycling rates reflect our dedication to a low carbon future.”
The waste management company said it works on over 50 special events in Westminster every year.
Veolia said its method of increasing recycling rates includes:
- Strategic distribution of clearly signed recycling and general waste bins to stallholders.
- Training teams to remove and divert any recyclables from general waste during events ahead of the main cleansing operations.
- Rapid collection of specific materials via electric-assisted bikes, such as Nox canisters that pose a hazard if collected as general rubbish.
Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality at Westminster City Council, said: “We’re thrilled to see the impressive results of our continued partnership with Veolia, achieving the highest ever recycling rate for special events in the City in 2024.
“We’re committed to pushing for even better recycling rates across all our events, and last year’s success highlights what’s possible when we work together with innovative solutions and a focus on sustainability.”
