Proposal for Innovative Recycling Grant Project

Model Waste Reduction Program & Best Management Practices (BMP) for Special Events
1) Applicant City:
City of Tallahassee 2) Primary Contact: Barry Boldissar
3) Complete Address:
2727 Municipal Way, Tallahassee, FL 32304
4) Telephone/SunCom:
(850) 891-5450
5) E-mail Address: boldissb@mail.ci.tlh.fl.us
6) Grant Request Amount: $ 175,000
7) Project Timeframe: 24 months
8) Project Abstract: To date, little solid waste management and waste reduction program
technical assistance has been paid to the recreational component of the waste stream, particularly
special events in Florida. There are two professional associations in Florida that are dedicated to
assisting the thousands of events held annually in Florida, but neither association has a waste
reduction technical assistance program for Event Managers. The current membership from both
of these associations totals 415 members. The purpose of the project is to provide an educational
tool to statewide public and private special event planners and managers on the importance of
implementing waste reduction programs into their overall festival structure. Millions of
attendees attend various types of special events annually. These event attendees not only can be
targeted for the waste they generate, but they can also be targeted through a community waste
reduction outreach program.
There are over 160 outdoor special events held in the City annually. Each City (over 413)
and many Counties (67) in Florida have a person responsible for managing, planning, and
implementing special events held in their jurisdiction (Event Manager). With a total of 480 cities
and counties in Florida, the statewide impact of a waste reduction education program targeting
special event managers in Florida is huge. The type of events varies in terms of goods or services
promoted and sold, including, but not limited to: entertainment, art, crafts, antiques, ethnic,
plants, food and/or beverages. Events vary in duration from one-day to multiple days, monthly,
and seasonal events. The City recognizes significant opportunity in targeting waste generated at
events through comprehensive reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and environmentally
preferable procurement practices (EPP).
Waste reduction, Resource Management contracting, and EPP education programs are
well suited for the organizational structure of special events, whether small or large. Event
managers generally prepare a contract with every vendor, non-profit or private organization, or
corporation providing service or sponsorship. These contracts include services occurring during
event set-up, the actual event activities, and during event breakdown. The types of vendors that
participate at special events can include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
entertainers, artists, crafts, apparel, promotional items, awards/banners/flags/signage,
communications, construction and demolition (wood, drywall, concrete), merchandising/textile,
event cleaning, communication (electronic) equipment, ticketing/event publications (paper
products), event cleaning, solid waste disposal, decorations/displays, food and beverages
(containers), transportation, tents/canopies, etc.
The purpose of this project is to provide more accurate special event generation, disposal
and recovery data, educational and technical support to implement more waste reduction
programs at City/County events. In addition, statewide data will be collected and a model waste
reduction special event BMP program guide developed for special event managers throughout
Florida.

City of Tallahassee Innovative Grant Proposal

Model Waste Reduction Program & Best Management Practices (BMP) for Special Events
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Project Description (1 Page)

The project will involve the following components to implement a waste reduction outreach
program for special events and to develop a statewide Special Event Waste Reduction BMP. The
following project description outlines the waste reduction program targeted to the waste structure
of a special event: material is utilized to set-up an event > people attend events and consume
products, goods and services > waste is left behind at the end of an event.
(1) Waste Reduction Special Event Outreach Program: Special Events in Florida are
highly visible community outreach programs. The City of Tallahassee Solid Waste
Services will work with the Parks and Recreation Department, Chamber of Commerce,
the Downtown Improvement Authority, Economic Development Department, and
Hospitality Resource Panel to provide outreach to special events about Waste Reduction
at Special Events in the City. Environmental guidelines/policies will be developed for
special events.
(2) Special Event Surveys: In order to benchmark the waste reduction activities at the
thousands of events in Florida, two surveys will be distributed. (1) A survey will be sent
to the Citys special Event Managers to gather information on challenges and obstacles to
implementing successful special event waste management and waste reduction programs.
(2) A survey will be sent through the states two special event associations to gather
information on the number of special events in Florida, the amount of waste generated,
existing recycling programs, and the cost to dispose and recycle at special events.
(3) Equipment: The City will research, identify, and purchase solid waste and recycling
equipment, containers, carts, and vehicles that will meet the various population sizes,
event duration days, and waste generation rates of the 160 events in the City.
(4) Operations: The City will develop comprehensive waste reduction plans for the
following events within the City: a) Spring Time Tallahassee b) Winter Festival c)
Downtown Get-Down d) Downtown Farmers Market. These four events represent the
three largest events in the City and one continuous event occurring every Saturday for a
6-month seasonal period.
(5) Materials Marketing: The City will research and identify the various reduction, reuse,
composting, and recycling market opportunities for the various types of materials
generated at special events.
(6) Education: The City of Tallahassee Solid Waste Services will host a special event
workshop for its event planners in conjunction with the Parks & Recreation Department.
In addition, fact sheets will be developed for and distributed to small, medium, and large
special event programs to meet the diverse needs of each generator size. The City will
also utilize a special event environmental education specialist through the Parks and
Recreation Department.
(7) Statewide BMP Special Event Waste Reduction Guide: Through the development of
1-5 above, a statewide BMP Waste Reduction Guide for Florida Special Event Managers
will be produced. This Guide will have case studies from the City and from other special
events in Florida with waste reduction programs.

City of Tallahassee Innovative Grant Proposal

Model Waste Reduction Program & Best Management Practices (BMP) for Special Events
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SECTION 1.0
Technologies or Processes (2 Pages)
Not in Common use in Florida:
It is evident from the discussion with the Florida special event associations that no waste
reduction or recycling education program or BMP manual has been developed for Florida. No
solid waste managers, recycling coordinators, special event managers have developed nor had
available to them comprehensive waste reduction education tools. Special Event recycling waste
reduction programs are not common in Florida. There are only a couple of large events in the
State with comprehensive waste reduction programs. This project proposes to make special
event waste reduction programs more common in order to divert the estimated hundreds of
thousands of tons of event waste from the disposal stream. Since much of Floridas previous
waste reduction education programs have targeted the residential sector at home, this program
offers the perfect opportunity to outreach to them at play, but most importantly as outreach to the
commercial sector (vendors, sponsors, contractors).
Novel Application of an Existing Technology or Process:
This project proposes to incorporate supply chain management programs for waste
management into special event recycling programs in the City and throughout Florida.
Investigation into the number of special events and the amount of solid waste generated,
disposed and recycled at Florida special events (events, fairs, festivals) was not available in or
from any of the state and national research sources, including the International Festival and
Event Association (IFEA) and the Florida Chapter of IFEA. The following diagram outlines the
process flow to apply a waste reduction integrated supply chain process to a novel application:
Event Managers
Publicly Sponsored Events

Privately Sponsored Events

Event Demographics
Type of Event
1. Food & Beverage
2. Craft/Art/Antiques
3. Ethnic/Corporate/Animals

Duration of Event
1. One Day
2. Week
3. Seasonal

# of Event Attendees
1. Small
2. Medium
3. Large

Location or Event Venue

1. Outdoor
2. Outdoor/Indoor
3. Indoor

Event Waste Generators

1. Attendees/Volunteers
2. Vendors/Contractors
3. Sposors/Exhibitors

Waste Reduction Plan

1. Collection Costs
2. Avoided Disposal Savings
3. Recycling Revenue
Source Reduction

EPP

Recycling

RM Contracting
Reuse/Donation

Composting

Disposal Plan
1. Collection Costs
2. Disposal Costs

City of Tallahassee Innovative Grant Proposal

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Overcome Obstacles to Recycling/Waste Reduction in New or Innovative Ways:

The project proposes to overcome the following obstacles: First, the project is especially
important to the City of Tallahassee because of the number of special events (160) held in the
City annually, and the amount of waste generated at the events. Most events in even the largest
cities and counties in Florida do not have waste reduction programs or educational information.
Second, new development is and will be occurring in the Downtown City area where many
special events are held. This allows an opportunity for the City to pre-plan for solid waste and
waste reduction activities for Special Events Downtown. Third, special events concentrate
thousands to tens of thousands of people into small geographic areas where waste is generated
quickly in a short amount of time and can be recovered properly. Fourth, waste reduction
programs in Florida can be incorporated into large, medium, or small size events. Basic waste
reduction techniques can be implemented at medium and smaller size events too, not just the
large ones, but the information for all size events has not been made available in the past. Fifth,
no attempts have been made to benchmark Floridas special event waste generation and waste
reduction programs. Event solid waste and recycling containers are the biggest obstacle to
successful special event recycling programs. Attend any event in your local area and notice the
open-top cardboard boxes utilized for solid waste collection. Even if an event has a recycling
container, it usually looks in appearance like a garbage container and its content is garbage.
Lastly, the City is home to Florida legislators, the Governors office, and University students
(FSU and FAMU) who participate and attend City special events. Special events are an
additional opportunity for the City to educate its seasonal residents about the recycling program,
at home, work, and now play.
The proposed program will overcome obstacles to special event waste reduction programs by
including the following technical assistance information within the BMP guide:
(1) Develop a Model Waste Reduction Program.
(2) Quantify various collection, equipment and collection options available.
(3) Identify the amount of special event waste generated in Florida.
(4) Identify the various material generated at special events and potential markets.
(5) Identify the products purchased at special events and prepare EPP recommendations.
(6) Identify Resource Management Contracting opportunities in special event vendor contracts.
(7) Develop programs for small, medium, and large size special events.
(8) Document and track program costs to help in planning long-term sustainability.

City of Tallahassee Innovative Grant Proposal

Model Waste Reduction Program & Best Management Practices (BMP) for Special Events
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SECTION 2.0
Material Targets & Target Sectors (1 page)
(A) Material Targets:
A variety of MSW materials are generated at special events and have the potential to be
recovered and collected from attendees, volunteers, vendors, contractors, exhibitors, and
sponsors. These materials include the following:
Event Materials (Pre, During, Post)
1. Plastic, Aluminum, Steel Cans, or Glass Food and Beverage Containers: Drink stations
are set-up throughout the event site and the type of containers used and sold can vary.
2. Mixed Paper: Napkins, programs and handouts.
3. Phone Books
4. Old Corrugated Cardboard Boxes: Boxes are generated from exhibitors, contractors,
food vendors, and volunteers.
5. Food Waste: This can either be food preparation scraps or post-consumer food.
6. Construction & Demolition Debris: Generated during pre-event set-up and post-event
take-down.
7. Packaging Material and Supplies: Packaging supplies are usually contained within the
cardboard boxes.
8. Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals: Contractors during pre- and post-event set-up generate
various metals from electrical and construction work and take-down.
9. Textiles: Most events sell merchandise such as t-shirts, caps, towels, etc.
10. Special Waste: Animal manure, oil, hydraulic fuels, tires, and batteries.
It is also important to have the event management office practice what it preaches and initiate an
office recycling program.
Event Management Office Materials
1. Plastic, Aluminum, Steel Cans, or Glass Containers
2. Office Paper
3. Old Corrugated Cardboard Boxes
4. Packaging Material and Supplies
(B) Target Sectors (Commercial Sector Generators):
Special events are generally funded and held by either the public sector (local government) or
private sector (chamber of commerce or corporations). In addition, an event can have hundreds
of vendors/subcontractors that manufacture, sell, or distribute various commercial supplies
needed for the event. The proposed project will directly target the commercial business sector
selling to these events. The project will prepare a special BMP guide designed to teach EPP
concepts, Resource Management concepts, and supply chain management concepts to reduce
waste prior to entering the event and possibly help to establish new markets with manufacturers
or reverse distribution programs with distributors. In addition, most special events utilize
sponsors either for funding, volunteers, or promotion. These are private commercial businesses
that will be targeted to implement waste reduction programs at events, including:
(1) Event Planners, (2) Attendees, (3) Vendors, (4) Suppliers, (5) Sponsors, (6) Exhibitors, (7)
Volunteers, (8) Media.

City of Tallahassee Innovative Grant Proposal

Model Waste Reduction Program & Best Management Practices (BMP) for Special Events
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SECTION 3.0
Benefits/Cost-effectiveness (2 pages)
Environmental Benefits
(1) Waste Reduction: Environmental contract language will be developed to reduce the amount
of waste generated by special event vendors and sub-contractors, where applicable and safe.
Eliminate Packaging: Where applicable, offer foods that do not require more than a paper
napkin to serve. Edible containers include ice cream cones, tortillas, pocket bread, burger and hot
dog buns, hollowed out hard rolls, whole fruit and vegetables.
Buy in bulk: Vendors can sell or sponsors can distribute items that are not individually
wrapped, e.g. promotional items should not be individually wrapped, beverages should be served
from bulk containers/dispensers.
(2) Reuse: Reuse opportunities will be identified and recommended, such as:
Use refillable or reusable containers: Sell a reusable and take home reusable memorable
event cup.
Donate Goods: Textiles, excess paper supplies, and food waste will be donated to the
appropriate charities in the City. The names of these charities will be identified and distributed to
event managers in the City prior to their event.
Reuse Materials and Supplies: Exhibitors and sponsors will be encouraged to use and
bring supplies, exhibits, and promotionals that can be reused at other events or reused by patrons
in their profession or home life.
Artist Environmental Awareness: Encourage artists, crafters, etc. to utilize reusable items
from industry and nature in their wares.
(3) Recycled Content: Ensure and encourage vendors to buy recycled content containers, paper,
supplies, textiles, bags, etc.
(4) Recycling: The targeted materials listed in Section 2.0 will be targeted for separation,
collection, and recycling through appropriate markets. Stress the importance of recyclable
containers, work with vendors and markets.
(5) Composting: Where appropriate and economical, implement food and other organic waste
composting programs.
(6) Toxicity: Waste prevention and recycling at special events, i.e. waste reduction, reduces
pollution, conserves natural resources, and in many cases saves energy through innovative waste
reduction programs, energy saving programs, and innovative transportation programs. Special
events can purchase non-toxic cleaning supplies and packaging and printing materials made with
recycled content. Recycling activities alone help reduce green house gas emissions through
reduced disposal. Some special events generate special waste such as animal manure, motor oil,
hydraulic fuel, tires, and batteries, which cannot be placed in the trash and must be handled
separately and under certain regulations.
Economic Benefits
1. Reduces the amount of waste generated at special events.
2. Reduces the amount paid by special events for collection and disposal.
3. Adds and expands market opportunities, both existing and alternative.
4. Improves the competitiveness between virgin material and recycled content debris.
5. Places ownership of waste at events on commercial businesses prior to the event.
6. Provides an environmental marketing advantage to businesses participating.

City of Tallahassee Innovative Grant Proposal

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7. Provides environmental activities to volunteer groups in the community that need special
event service hours or revenue for recycling collection during the event.
8. Provides sponsorship opportunities to market and sell the environmental program to a
business in the community.
Other economic opportunities that arise during the course of this pilot project will be
documented.
Cost Effectiveness
Since no cost information for solid waste and recycling collection programs was available from
Florida events, the following out-of-state events provide examples of special events that have
budgets for waste reduction/recycling at special events and have seen some type of reduction in
their solid waste collection and disposal expenses as well as revenue from the sale of recyclable
material.
(1) Cherry Creeks Arts Festival, Denver Colorado: An environmental committee operates
within a $12,000 annual budget. Since the event recovers and reduces more than 90
percent of its waste annually, it is able to cover a good portion of its program expenses,
which provides extraordinary environmental benefits to the community.
(2) 2001 Taste of the Nation/Chefs Night Out, Portland, Oregon: Generated no waste at its
event because durable plates were used and washed, commemorative wine glasses were
used and taken home, wine bottles-corks-cardboard-plastic bottles-milk cartons were
recycled, and coffee grounds were composted.
(3) Bay to Breakers Footrace, San Francisco, California:1 Race organizers pay HANC
Recycling about $2,300 each year for recycling services. Eight staff members, three 35yard roll-off containers, and three trucks were used to implement the program. Sales of
PET and other containers generate approximately $500/year, which HANC retains. By
diverting recyclables organizers eliminate the need for six to eight trash roll-off
containers each year. At a cost of $300/roll-off, savings have averaged $1,800 to $2,400
each year in trash hauling and disposal costs. Furthermore, recycling reduces the labor
needed for post event garbage pick-up on the field and along the racecourse.
(4) Del Mar Fairgrounds & Thoroughbred Club, Del Mar, California:2 In 1998 the
fairgrounds paid less than $15,000 in tip fees for the 7,222 tons of material it recycled
and composted, and earned over $9,500 in revenues. The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
earned nearly $13,000 in revenues from its recyclables. Del Mar Fairgrounds and the Del
Mar Thoroughbred Club paid $36 and $38/ton, respectively, to tip their trash. Much
lower tip fees were paid for compostables -- $16/ton for yard trimmings and less than
$1/ton for straw and shavings. In 1998 recycling by the two organizations accounted for
more than $600,000 in avoided landfill tip fees.

1
2

BioCycle, June 2000

BioCycle, June 2000

City of Tallahassee Innovative Grant Proposal

Model Waste Reduction Program & Best Management Practices (BMP) for Special Events
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SECTION 4.0
Transferability (1 page)
Transferability of Technology or Process:
Transferability of Process:
Each City and County in Florida holds thousands of events annually. The Municipal Model and
the Statewide Guide will be easily transferable because the need exists in the state for this
information to be transferred to special event managers.
Transferability of Education Materials and Outreach:
The statewide transfer for this project is held in the hands of a partnership between the
government sector and private sector. Event managers located in City and County departments
where special events are planned will help to create the transfer infrastructure to provide the
solution to waste generated at special events throughout Florida. It is important to develop the
correct educational tools that will deliver the message throughout the State to the special event
community that would derive the most value from information about the Citys program and the
projects components. These educational tools include:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

Waste Reduction and EPP BMP Guide

Survey Data and Results
Fact Sheets
Statewide Workshop
Articles/Press Releases for non-traditional publications (local papers through the FL
Press Release Service)
(6) Articles for traditional industry publications (RFT, Solid Waste, Recycling, C&D)
(7) Transmittal of approved project report transmitted electronically to 67 counties with
request to forward to each City within the County
Transferability Partners:
These associations, trade groups, and their individual members can provide additional
outreach through their own company newsletters, websites, and internal communications. In
each of these venues, the simplicity of the program will be stressed as well as the economic and
environmental educational incentives.

Special Event Associations (IFEA-FL Chapter & FL FEA)

City and County, Parks & Recreation Event Managers
County Solid Waste Manager & Recycling Coordinators
Florida Chamber of Commerce
RecycleFlorida Today, Inc. (RFT)
Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Florida Sunshine Chapter
Florida Organics Recycling Center for Excellence Organic Recovery at Special Events
Southern Waste Information Exchange (SWIX)

City of Tallahassee Innovative Grant Proposal

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SECTION 5.0
Local Support (1 page)
Public Sector Support City of Tallahassee Solid Waste Services ($ 35,000)
For this proposed project, the City will provide in-kind support for the following project
components:
Coordination of project components with program participants.
Recycling collection at the four special events listed in Section 2.0.
Solid waste collection and labor at all special events in the City.
Use of the Citys Communication Department staff and resources.
Use of City vehicles, equipment, and containers at all special events in the City.
Promotion and availability of event containers/carts/signage at all City special events.
Coordination with Parks and Recreation Department.
Technical assistance on the project.
Public Sector Support City of Tallahassee Parks & Recreation Department ($23,500)
The Citys Parks and Recreation Supervisor of Special Events will donate in-kind time to assist
with the entire program listed in Section 2.0.
Public Sector Support City of Tallahassee Downtown Task Force ($16,000)
The Downtown Task Force is comprised of representatives from the Economic Development
Department, the Downtown Improvement Authority, the Hospitality Resource Panel, the
Downtown Police Department, and downtown business community. These representatives will
donate in-kind time through technical assistance with the entire program listed in Section 2.0, as
appropriate to their respective fields.
Public Sector Support City of Tallahassee Communication Department ($9,000)
The Citys Communication Department staff will review and approve as well as provide
technical assistance to all educational material developed for the project listed in Section 2.0.
Commercial Support Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce (COC) ($4,000)
The COC will provide promotion of the Citys special event waste reduction educational
outreach program to its members.
Commercial Support Event Vendors, Contractors, and Sponsors ($7,500)
All vendors, sub-contractors, and sponsors participating in City events will be educated or
required to think and act differently when attending and procuring items (contractual changes)
for special events and to make prior preparation for the event by evaluating ways to reduce waste
being brought on site before it reaches the site and how to increase recycling based on the
supplies and goods brought to the event.
Corporate Support Environmental Program Sponsor(s) ($10,000)
During the course of the development of Municipal Model, a corporate sponsor(s) will be
identified and secured for the Citys special event environmental program. Many corporations or
businesses understand the importance of being and promoting GREEN.

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Project Budget (1 Page)

Budget Page: See attached Excel spreadsheet.