How to Make Your Eisteddfod Zero-Waste Step by Step

An eisteddfod brings people together through music, dance, poetry, storytelling and shared Welsh heritage. It can also produce a surprising amount of rubbish: disposable food packaging, single-use drink cups, printed programmes, leftover catering and materials used once for signs or decorations. A zero-waste approach reduces that impact while creating a tidier, more welcoming event.

For organisers in Australia, the process needs to suit local council requirements, venue facilities and the realities of the Australian waste system. A community eisteddfod in regional New South Wales may have different recycling services from an event in Melbourne or Brisbane. The principles remain consistent: prevent waste first, reuse what already exists, separate unavoidable materials correctly and involve the whole community.

Set a Practical Waste Baseline

Begin by recording what your eisteddfod currently throws away. Review the previous event and list every significant waste stream, including food scraps, cardboard, soft plastics, glass, cans, disposable cups, printed materials, decorations and damaged equipment. Speak with the venue manager, caterers, stallholders, cleaners and volunteers, because each group sees a different part of the waste problem.

A simple audit does not need laboratory equipment. Weigh or estimate the number of bags produced in each area, then note when they were filled and where they went. If the venue uses a commercial waste contractor, ask for collection records and information about what happens after pickup. Some materials placed in a recycling bin may still be rejected if they are contaminated or unsuitable for the local facility.

Set clear targets based on your findings. For example, the committee might aim to remove disposable cups, halve printed programmes, divert food scraps from landfill and ensure every vendor has access to the correct bins. Specific goals are easier to explain than a broad promise to be “green”, and they help the committee judge progress after the event.

Build a Team and Clear Policy

Nominate a waste coordinator early, then create a small sustainability group with responsibility for purchasing, catering, venue operations, volunteer training and communications. Give each person a defined task. One volunteer can check that food vendors follow the packaging policy, while another monitors bins during the afternoon and arranges collection at pack-down.

Write a short waste policy for everyone involved. It should state which items are prohibited, which reusable or recyclable alternatives are approved and what each stallholder must do with leftovers. Include requirements for suppliers, performers, schools and community groups. Sending the policy with booking information gives people time to plan rather than leaving them to make last-minute purchases.

Make the policy practical for the Australian setting. Recycling rules vary between councils and states, so do not assume that an item marked “compostable” belongs in the green organics bin. Confirm the local rules with the council or waste contractor. In Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, container deposit schemes can also affect how cans and bottles are collected and returned. Decide in advance whether refunds will support the eisteddfod, a local school or a community charity.

Rethink Procurement and Catering

The most effective waste is the waste you never buy. Replace disposable decorations with fabric banners, painted boards, bunting and props that can be stored for future events. Use durable name badges, chalkboards and digital schedules. If printed programmes are necessary, print a smaller number, use recycled paper and place the full timetable online through the eisteddfod website or a QR code.

Ask suppliers to reduce packaging and deliver in returnable crates or reusable tubs. Choose concentrated cleaning products, refillable handwash and bulk ingredients where appropriate. A purchasing checklist can prevent well-intentioned volunteers from buying individually wrapped items simply because they are convenient.

Food service deserves particular attention. Require vendors to use washable plates, bowls, cups and cutlery wherever the venue has a suitable washing area. If disposables are unavoidable, choose products accepted by the local processing facility rather than relying on vague “eco-friendly” claims. Provide clearly labelled water refill stations and encourage visitors to bring a keep cup and reusable bottle. An Australian audience will generally understand a friendly reminder such as “Bring your keep cup for the arvo,” especially when the message appears before event day.

Work with caterers to plan quantities carefully. Use registration numbers, past attendance and meal bookings to estimate demand, then arrange a plan for safe surplus food. Unopened packaged food may be donated through a suitable local organisation, while prepared food must follow food safety requirements. Avoid offering unnecessary extras such as individually wrapped sauces, paper napkins at every table or plastic stirrers when bulk dispensers and washable alternatives are available.

Design Reuse Into the Venue

Walk through the venue before the event and map every point where waste is likely to arise: entrances, food areas, performance spaces, dressing rooms, classrooms, toilets and the backstage zone. Put the right collection point close to the source. A recycling bin at the front gate will not solve a packaging problem in the kitchen.

Use a consistent three-stream system where possible: landfill, recycling and organics. Each station should have large signs showing actual examples of accepted items, such as aluminium cans, clean cardboard or food scraps. Words alone can be confusing, especially for children and visitors who are unfamiliar with the council’s system. Keep landfill bins smaller and less prominent than recycling and organics bins, while ensuring there are enough collection points to prevent overflow.

Reusable signage can carry the same design from year to year. Use symbols, colours and plain English, with Welsh terms added where they support the cultural character of the event. For instance, signs can identify food scraps and recycling in both languages without making the instructions difficult to read. Place signs at eye level and check them during the event, since a fallen or hidden sign quickly reduces correct sorting.

If your eisteddfod is held in a school hall, community centre or showground, ask what equipment is already available. The venue may have trestle tables, washable crockery, water urns, storage tubs and collection bins. Hiring or borrowing these items through a local neighbourhood house, Men’s Shed, school or council can reduce purchasing costs and strengthen community connections.

Manage Food Scraps and Recycling

Train volunteers before the doors open. A short demonstration should explain what belongs in each bin, how to deal with liquids and what to do when a bin becomes contaminated. Position a “bin station steward” near busy food areas during peak times. This role is more effective than simply putting up posters because the steward can guide visitors politely and remove items that have been placed incorrectly.

Keep food scraps separate from packaging. If a commercial organics service is available, confirm whether it accepts compostable serviceware, meat, dairy and cooking oils. Requirements differ, so only place these materials in the organics stream when the provider has approved them. If no collection service exists, explore a partnership with a community garden, farm or local composting programme, subject to health and transport rules.

Prepare a spill and contamination plan. Liquids should be emptied before cans and bottles enter recycling, but provide a safe place for this to happen. Keep spare liners, gloves, tongs and cleaning supplies at every collection point. Never ask volunteers to reach into a bin by hand. At pack-down, close bags securely and store separated materials under cover so rain does not turn cardboard into waste.

In some Australian regions, container refunds can create useful community income. A committee in New South Wales might register with Return and Earn, while an event in Queensland may use Containers for Change. Check the current scheme rules, collection options and eligible containers before advertising a fundraising arrangement. The proceeds can help fund youth workshops, folk dancing, folk singing or cerdd dant activities connected with the eisteddfod.

Make Low-Waste Participation Easy

Visitors are more likely to follow a waste plan when the sustainable choice is convenient, affordable and visible. Put refill stations near entrances and food areas, provide accessible bins, and tell people what to bring in the event information. A message about reusable bottles, cups and containers can be included in ticket emails, school newsletters, social media posts and performer packs.

Invite schools, families and cultural groups to contribute reusable resources. A local school may lend display boards, while a Welsh society could provide fabric bunting or costumes for a heritage exhibition. Run a decoration-making workshop using reclaimed textiles and cardboard, turning preparation into a community activity rather than a separate environmental exercise.

Include waste instructions in vendor agreements and volunteer briefings, then recognise people who help. A small “low-waste stall” acknowledgement, a mention from the stage or a thank-you in the local paper can reinforce good practice. Keep the tone positive and specific. Visitors respond better to “Please place your food scraps here” than to signs that scold them for getting it wrong.

Measure the result after the final performance. Record the number of general waste bags, recycling collections, organics collections and donated food items. Note what went well and what caused confusion. Ask the venue, caterers and volunteers for brief feedback, then save the findings with the event records. This turns one successful change into a repeatable system for the next eisteddfod.

A zero-waste event is built through many small decisions: a reusable sign, a refill station, a better supplier agreement, a trained volunteer and a bin placed in the right position. Begin with an audit, set achievable targets and involve performers, families, schools, traders and local partners from the planning stage. Contact your local council and waste contractor, update your event policy and make the next eisteddfod a practical example of Welsh culture cared for in a changing world.

Use the lessons from each event to improve the next one, share successful resources with neighbouring committees and encourage young participants to take an active role. With steady planning, your eisteddfod can celebrate tradition, welcome the wider community and send far less material to landfill.