The year concluded with 150 Veolia workers collecting cans, glass and other “party leftovers” on New Years Eve.
Veolia said that its method to drive up recycling rates included:
- The strategic distribution of clearly signed recycling and general waste bins to stallholders, enabling them to recycle easily.
- Training their staff to remove and divert any recyclables from general waste during events ahead of the main cleansing operations.
- The rapid collection of specific materials using electric cargo bikes from EAV. These materials include dangerous items such as Nox canisters which could pose a hazard if collected as general waste.
Veolia said that the majority of its waste is collected by an electric fleet which saves up to 89% of CO2 emissions compared to traditional diesel-powered vehicles.
Targeting food and textiles waste in Westminster
At the start of 2024, the waste management company introduced food waste bins for stallholders serving food at special events. An outreach team was put in place to engage with food vendors to help them avoid contamination.
For sporting events, Veolia introduced textiles bins to boost recycling rates: at the London Winter Run 10k, for instance, Veolia partnered with Cancer Research to capture jumpers for reuse. This accounted for nearly 20% of all recycling collected at the event, yielding the highest recycling rate ever recorded at a special event in the City of Westminster at 86.92%.
‘Special events are full of challenges’
Scott Edgell, general manager at Veolia, said: “I’m extremely proud of our teams for leading by example and showing what can be achieved. 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. Of course, none of it would be possible without the frontline team – a massive thank you to the crews for delivering this impressive feat at the New Year’s clean-up and throughout 2024.”
Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, cabinet member for city management and air quality at Westminster city council, added: “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. It’s a fantastic milestone in our efforts to create a cleaner, greener Westminster.
“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.”
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