Waste Management at Street Events

Complete a Waste Management Plan for Street Events

The City will not issue a Street Event Permit until your Waste Management Plan for Street Events has been approved. However, you can begin the process of applying for the permit before receiving approval for your Waste Management Plan.

How to submit your Waste Management Plan for approval

1. Refer to the “Questions to consider” section below before completing your Waste Management Plan. 
2. Complete the Waste Management Plan for Street Events form.  
3. Email the completed form to SWMSSpecialEvents@toronto.ca four to six weeks before the event.  
4. City staff will contact you to schedule a meeting to review your Waste Management Plan and provide recommendations on how to reduce waste and get attendees to put waste in the proper bins.  

Questions to consider

Waste system

• Do you have enough garbage bins to properly handle the amount of garbage and prevent overflow?
• If planning to arrange for a garbage roll-off bin (large, rectangular, open-top metal container), where will it be placed?  
• Do you have enough garbage bins to match the number of Green Bins and Blue Bins to create waste stations?  

Garbage collection and event area maintenance

• Have you hired a garbage removal contractor to collect, remove and dispose of garbage and litter? 
• Will this contractor pick up litter from the site during the event, or do you have enough staff and volunteers to do this work? 
• Will you use the bag and broom method to maintain a clean and litter-free closure? 
• Have you communicated to your vendors about proper disposal procedures? 

Reusables

• Have you considered providing reusable foodservice ware or hiring a reusables contractor to reduce single-use items at your event? For a list of service providers, visit Reducing Single-Use – Directory of Service Providers.   
• Are you encouraging vendors to use reusable foodservice ware? 
• Are you encouraging vendors to accept reusable beverage and takeout containers brought in by customers? 
• If your event is not using reusables, are you encouraging vendors to use single-use items that are accepted in the Blue Bin? 

Recycling and organics

• Have you asked your vendors what type of waste they will generate to identify ways to divert the waste from landfill? For example, if a vendor will generate organic waste such as food scraps or napkins, they can place this waste into a Green Bin.
• Are you encouraging vendors to use cups and containers that can be recycled in the Blue Bin?  
• Are you aware that the City’s Green Bin organics program does not accept items marketed as compostable or biodegradable?
• What steps will you take to ensure proper waste sorting by vendors and attendees?
• What steps will you take to check Blue Bins and Green Bins (and recycling roll-off bins, if applicable) for contamination (garbage placed in Blue Bins or Green Bins)?

Services Provided by the City at Street Events

Before the event

The City will: 

• empty street litter bins on the sidewalk in the event area 
• remove litter from sidewalks and curb lanes
• clean area outside the event space 
• provide the required number of Blue Bins and Green Bins 
• provide free clear plastic liner bags to line the Blue Bins and Green Bins 
• if needed, deliver a recycling roll-off bin (a large, rectangular, open-top metal container) for excess recycling (for multi-day or larger scale events that will generate a lot of recycling material)

During the event

The City will:

• empty City-provided Blue Bins and Green Bins each night  
  • Bins must be brought to the curb and made accessible for the City collection trucks. Dedicated recycling and organics trucks will pick up these materials each night. 
• pick up properly packaged cardboard boxes from vendors each night at the curb 
  • Cardboard boxes must be clean, properly flattened and bundled. 
  • You can place the bundles in the recycling roll-off bin if your event has one. 
• check recycling roll-off bin for contamination (any waste other than recyclables as defined in the Littering and Dumping bylaw, including black garbage bags, containers of used cooking oil and organic waste) and instruct the event organizer to remove any contaminants before collection of the recycling roll-off bin by the City
• empty recycling roll-off bin as necessary throughout the event 
• clean area outside the event space  

After the event

The City will:

• empty the City-provided Blue Bins and Green Bins  
• pick up the Blue Bins, Green Bins and recycling roll-off bin 
• check event site to ensure all garbage, litter and waste has been removed
  • If waste is left on the site, the City will remove the waste and charge the permit holder the cost to remove it.
• meet with event organizer to debrief how waste was managed and provide feedback for future events

Responsibilities for Event Organizers, Waste Contractor & Clean-up Staff

The following actions are the minimum requirements. See How to Reduce Waste at Street Events for recommended actions to reduce waste and costs at your event. It is the event organizer’s responsibility to inform the waste management contractor and clean-up staff of the following requirements.

Before the event

The event organizer will: 

• complete a Waste Management Plan for Street Events and attend a meeting with the City, if needed, to review and make any necessary changes to the plan 
• hire a waste management contractor to pick up and remove event garbage and litter  
• hire paid or volunteer staff to pick up litter using a bag and broom during event if your waste management contractor does not provide this service 
• if using reusable foodservice ware, ensure vendors, staff and volunteers are trained on the reuse collection system
• buy black plastic bags to line garbage bins (the City only provides clear plastic bags to line the Blue Bins and Green Bins) 
• meet with the waste management contractor staff and clean-up staff to review the Waste Management Plan for Street Events
• ensure there are enough staff and volunteers to maintain the event area for the entire duration of the event
• ask vendors what type of waste they will generate and tell them how to dispose of their waste at the event 

During the event

The waste management contractor and clean-up staff will:

• create waste stations by placing a Blue Bin, Green Bin and garbage bin (and reusables bin, if applicable) together to make proper sorting accessible and convenient 
  • No waste bins should be placed alone.
  • Place waste stations in busy areas and near food vendors.
  • Place extra Green Bins near food vendors and ask them to use the bins to dispose of their food waste.
  • After emptying and relining bins, make sure to close bin lids to reduce contamination (people throwing waste into the wrong bins).
• line Blue Bins and Green Bins with clear plastic bags provided by the City 
• line garbage bins with black plastic bags  
• pick up litter within the event area, including around the City’s street litter bins 
• empty garbage bins into the waste management contractor’s garbage roll-off bin (large, rectangular, open-top metal container) 
• put litter in the waste management contractor’s garbage roll-off bin 
• put excess or large recyclable items into clear plastic bags and place the bags in a spot that is accessible for the City collection trucks (along the curb)
• if your event has a City-provided recycling roll-off bin, place recyclable materials loose in the bin
• put excess bags of organics beside the recycling roll-off bin or in a spot that is accessible for the City collection trucks
• remove any garbage and black bags from the recycling roll-off bin 
• bring Blue Bins and Green Bins to the curb each night or put them in a spot that is accessible for the City collection trucks
• re-line empty Blue Bins and Green Bins with clear plastic bags and return the bins to their place in the event space as needed throughout the event
• flatten and bundle clean cardboard boxes and pile them neatly on the curb for collection
• ensure that vendors are putting their waste in the right bins throughout the event by providing information on where to place their garbage, recycling and organic waste
• remind vendors that they must remove waste other than garbage, recycling and organic waste from the site
• ensure vendors are not placing anything other than recycling in or near the recycling roll-off bin (for example, containers of used cooking or waste not generated at the event) 
• if the event organizer has hired a contractor to provide reusable foodservice ware, remove reusables placed in the Blue Bins, Green Bins and garbage bins and empty the reusables collection bin as needed 

After the event

The waste management contractor and clean-up staff will:

• put all garbage and litter into the waste management contractor’s garbage roll-off bin before the street reopens 
• put recyclable items into clear plastic bags and place the bags in the City-provided recycling roll-off bin or in a spot that is accessible for the City collection trucks, such as near the curb or near the other Blue Bins 
• put excess bags of organics beside the recycling roll-off bin or in a spot that is accessible for the collection truck 
• place empty City-provided Blue Bins near the recycling roll-off bin or in a spot that is visible and accessible 
• place City-provided Green Bins in clusters at curbside for night collection 
• collect all garbage and litter within the event space and place in the garbage roll-off bin provided by the waste management contractor
• ensure the event space is clean and free of all garbage, recycling, organics and litter  

The event organizer will:

• monitor vendors for illegal dumping  
• schedule a meeting with City staff to debrief the event and identify areas of improvement for future events

The waste management contractor must remain on site until the road is fully re-opened. Failure to remove any garbage, litter and debris left within the event site in a timely manner will result in the City removing these items at the permit holder’s expense. 

How to Reduce Waste at Street Events

Reducing waste at events: 

• lowers garbage disposal costs for event vendors and organizers 
• attracts event attendees by striving to be an “eco” or “green” event 
• minimizes resources and energy needed to collect, process and dispose of waste 
• helps conserve landfill space by diverting recyclables and organic material from landfill 
• supports City Council’s direction to reduce waste on City property and transition the City to a circular economy 

We encourage event organizers to follow the best practices below to help better manage event waste, reduce waste and control your garbage removal costs. 

Before the event

• Organize information sessions for event staff, vendors, waste management contractor and clean-up staff. 
• Assess what types of waste your event will generate. Ask vendors what waste they will have and plan for proper disposal of each type. 
  • Learn how to dispose of special waste, such as used cooking oil, compressed gas tanks (including propane, helium and CO2 tanks) and used charcoal or ash. These items are not accepted in the Blue Bin or Green Bin and should not be placed in the garbage due to safety concerns. 
  • If you plan on having reusable foodservice ware at your event, ask vendors what types of foodservice ware they will need (such as cups, plates, bowls and cutlery). 
• Consider providing reusable foodservice ware or working with a reusables company to eliminate single-use items. For a list of service providers, visit Reducing Single-Use – Directory of Service Providers. 
  • Toronto Public Health provides guidance to food premises operators regarding their responsibility when handling reusable food containers and Guidelines for Safe Handling of Reusable Cups and Food Containers. 
• If reusable foodservice ware is not an option, ask vendors to use recoverable single-use items that can go in the Blue Bin or Green Bin. 
• Encourage vendors to accept customers’ reusables (such as cups, containers and bags). 
• Encourage vendors to review federal and municipal regulations, such as the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations and Single-use and Takeaway Item Bylaw. 
• Encourage vendors to adopt “Ask-First/By-Request” practices by asking customers if they need specific single-use items or have the customer request the item before giving it to them. 
• Consider partnering with food rescue organizations for any leftover food.  
• Book an HTO To Go Water Trailer (a mobile trailer dispensing tap water). 
• Encourage attendees to bring their own reusable mugs, water bottles, cutlery, straws and napkins in your promotional material.  
• Limit the number of printed handouts and one-time use materials. 
  • Choose reusable signs, posters and other equipment that you can store and use again for future events 
  • If providing T-shirts for event staff or volunteers, procure generic ones that can be reused from year to year. 
• Recruit volunteers to educate attendees and pick up litter. Volunteers can direct attendees to use the correct bin for their waste. 

During the event

• Monitor waste stations.  
  • Consider having volunteers stand near waste stations to assist attendees in sorting their waste into the right bins.   
  • If a waste station isn’t being used, move the bins to a busier location. 
• Educate event attendees. 
  
  • Place flags or signage to bring attention to waste station locations. (These are not provided by the City.)
  • Add signs and posters to bins that show where each waste item goes. 

After the event

• Obtain garbage weight from your waste management contractor. This information can help you plan for next year’s event to assess how many garbage bins and garbage roll-off bins you need. The information can also show the amount of garbage the event generates year over year.
• Obtain garbage reduction metrics from reusables provider to share with your attendees and for future event promotion.

Common Waste Items at Street Events

Check the Waste Wizard if you’re unsure where an item goes, or if an item is not listed below. 

Blue Bin (recycling)

Items placed in recycling should be free from food or food residue. 

• Paper cups (with or without wax or plastic lining) 
• Paper plates and containers (with or without wax or plastic lining) 
• Paper straws (with or without wax or plastic lining) 
• Plastic and glass bottles 
• Plastic containers, plates, cups or cutlery 
• Plastic packaging overwrap 
• Plastic over-wrap for items such as pop cans and water bottles
• Paper containers, plates and cups (plastic-lined) 
• Cardboard boxes 
• Aluminum cans 
• Aluminum containers  
• Aluminium foil   
• Granola bar wrappers 

Green Bin (organics)

• Food waste
• Soiled paper napkins
• Soiled paper plates (not plastic-lined)

Garbage

• Wooden skewers
• Wooden pallets
• Compostable plastic containers, plates, cups and cutlery
• Biodegradable packaging and products