Waste minimisation focus for Bay Dreams Nelson

Nelson City Council is continuing its commitment to waste minimisation by working with event organisers.

Council, along with Tasman District Council, share a Joint Waste Management and Minimisation Plan, which aspires to eliminate unnecessary waste going to landfill and to work with the community to avoid the creation of waste at the upcoming Bay Dreams Nelson music festival this summer.

“We are really pleased to see Bay Dreams continue to focus on the importance of reducing waste and making it easier for everyone attending the event to reduce their waste footprint whilst having a great time in our Smart Little City,” Nelson City Council’s Community Services Group Manager, Roger Ball says.

Festival-goers are encouraged to bring an empty, clear plastic ‘1’ or ‘2’ water bottle to re-use through the day when the popular Bay Dreams Nelson music festival returns to Trafalgar Park in Nelson this summer, which can then be recycled.

In line with Nelson’s commitment to the environment and waste minimisation, the promoters of Bay Dreams have brought on board Closed Loop, a company which specialises in sustainable cleaning and waste management services with the goal for the 2020 event to create less waste and have more recycling and diversion.

“The aim is to move to fully compostable products only eventually. This time all water cups distributed and all plates and cutlery served by vendors will be fully compostable. All other drink packaging will be recyclable,” Bay Dreams Nelson Festival Director, Toby Burrows says.

“The industry average for landfill diversion at music festivals is only about 30%," says Greg Schicker, NZ Director for Closed Loop. 

 "In 2019, Closed Loop achieved 60% landfill diversion in Nelson, and aim to increase this to 65% while reducing the amount of materials on-site by 10%.”

Festival contractors will be provided with reusable bottles to refill at water stations in the build and pack down with patrons encouraged to bring in their own reusable bottles on festival day.
 
“This has a two-pronged effect. It reduces waste and assists with improving hydration which is an important health and safety issue at events” says Burrows.

There are still tickets available for Bay Dreams Nelson on 4 January 2020.

For event details and tickets go to the Bay Dreams website.