A Guide to Reduce Waste at Community Events
Milpitas Sanitation has an exclusive franchise with the City of Milpitas and must be used for all hauling services. Work with Milpitas Sanitation:
- Evaluate the waste collection needs of your event. Make note of the number of expected attendees, number and type of vendors, and geographic area of the event.
- Contact Milpitas Sanitation. A helpful representative will review your event data and make recommendations.
- Complete Waste Hauling Request Form
Encourage Less Waste at Your Event!
- Communicate information electronically
- Include information about available Recyclables and Food Waste collection in vendor packets. State that proper sorting is encouraged.
- Obligate vendors to participate in waste reduction activities as past of vendor contact.
- Encourage the distribution of reusable cups, bottles, plates, utensils and shopping bags.
- Discourage single-use plastic bags, styrofoam or any other non-recyclable and/or non-compostable items.
- Make use of reusable transport packaging. Instead of bringing supplies in cardboard boxes that will need to be recycled, invest in durable/reusable crates.
- Utilize products that can be reused, or are made from recycled content that can be recycled again or are compostable paper products.
- Suggest donation opportunities for leftover food and other items.
- Encourage food vendors to:
- serve fare that does not require plates, utensils or straws. If needed, make sure the service items are compostable/reusable.
- provide condiments (sugar, salt, ketchup, mustard, etc.) in large/bulk dispensers instead of single-serving disposable packaging.
- Determine the types of waste that will be generated at your event. Have signage to indicate what items belong in each container.
Day of Event Recommendations
- Cluster collection bins in “stations.” Make sure a Recyclables container always accompanies a Garbage container. In food service areas, add a Food Scraps container to each station.
- Place collection stations in high-traffic areas: near restrooms, food stands, entrances, and exits.
- Place collection containers in the same order and use consistent signage.
- Monitor containers throughout the day, sort contents and empty as needed to reduce contamination.
Sort and Dispose of Your Waste Materials Correctly
Provide clearly marked collection containers for Garbage, Recyclables (bottles and cans) and Food Scraps (food waste and food soiled paper). Have signage to indicate what items belong in each container.
Downloadable Event Posters
Event Food Scrap Sorting Poster