The initiative builds on the success of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), which managed to divert 100% of the Games’ operational waste away from landfill.
Dr Liz Goodwin, chief executive of WRAP, said: “The London 2012 Olympics showed just what could be achieved by a clear commitment, by trying to prevent waste and manage it sustainably.
“Making waste prevention part of an event’s plan can deliver significant savings for businesses large and small. It will benefit all, from local community activities right up to large scale UK events like the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow.
“The events industry roadmap was developed to support business growth by managing resources efficiently.
“It’s a simple vision, but it’s only by the industry individually and collectively taking on the challenge, that this vision can be realised – creating the opportunities for real economic benefits.”
She said the events industry was a complex sector comprising thousands of operators of all shapes and sizes, supporting 25,000 businesses and more than 500,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
It had a significant impact on the economy, with a current value of £36bn that was projected to rise to £48bn by 2020.
“However, it could maximise the opportunities afforded by reducing waste to its advantage. While some of the sector has achieved as much as a 50% recycling rate for their events, most are averaging just 15%, with a large amount of waste going direct to landfill.”
The Events Industry Roadmap has been developed by WRAP working with the events industry as part of its work on the European Pathway to Zero Waste project (EPOW).
The roadmap is the first stage in raising awareness of the positive impact which effective management of waste has on the delivery of events, both economically and environmentally.
To see the plan in full visit: http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/new-plan-launched-tackle-waste-all-uk-events