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You are here: CIWM  >  Publications  >  Latest News  >  Events Industry Set To Tackle Waste With The Help Of Free WRAP Tool

Events Industry Set To Tackle Waste With The Help Of Free WRAP Tool

13 May 2011

The events sector is being encouraged to take action on sustainability issues with the help of a new free online application aimed at the industry and its supply chain, developed by Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in conjunction with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG)

The Event Resource Management Plan (RMP) tool, which has been awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark, is designed to help event organisers, venues and suppliers in their pre-event procurement and waste reduction activities, in-event waste recycling and post event materials reuse and recycling.

The tool claims be beneficial in demonstrating corporate social responsibility, but can also with potential cost savings from the planning and procurement stage of the industry, right through to waste management costs.

Organisations seeking BS 8901 certification (the British Standard Specification for a Sustainability Management system for events) can also use the tool to demonstrate compliance with elements of the standard.

The tool aims to help organisers to:

    • Develop a waste management strategy
    • Identify the types of waste that will be generated from your event
    • Identify resource efficiencies which can lead to cost savings
    • Identify opportunities to reduce waste and increase reused and recycled content
    • Communicate your waste management targets to your supply chain
      • Capture waste measurements and provide event waste reports

While some of the sector has achieved as much as a 50 percent recycling rate in events, many are averaging at just 15 percent, but the sector is demonstrating a motivation to adopt more sustainable practices as many are now adopting the British Standard.

RMP has been subject to a number of stringent user acceptance trials by key industry partners, including LOCOG, but also by a number of other prestigious event organisers, including Live Nation, Manchester United Football Club, Manchester City Council and Coca Cola GB.

Mervyn Jones, Head of Products & Materials at WRAP said: "This is an exciting new sector for WRAP to work with. We have drawn on our experience of working with clients, retailers, brands and local authorities in the retail and construction sectors in developing this tool. The tool will help event organisers to forecast and work on a plan to reduce their environmental impact when putting an event together.

"We are delighted to have rallied support from across the events sector, with a number of key event organisers who have all been instrumental to the development and testing of this tool to ensure it met the industry's needs and requirements," he added.

David Stubbs, Head of Sustainability at LOCOG said: "Factoring in aspects of sustainability such as waste management is a real challenge for event organisers, particularly where there is a large supply chain involved. Using tools such as the one developed by WRAP will help the UK achieve its ambition of hosting the most sustainable Games possible and we are thrilled to be involved in the development process of this practical tool. We look forward to rolling it out further to our own supply chain as we head towards the Games in 2012."

A video tutorial that guides users step-by-step through the process of completion and case studies from our panel of testers will be available from the 6 May at www.wrap.org.uk/sustainableevents

Darrel Moore