Two hundred tonnes of rubbish has been cleared from the streets of Notting Hill in the two days following the largest street festival in Europe, the Notting Hill Carnival, reports waste management company Veolia, which was tasked with clearing the mounds of litter left by more than one million revelers.
10 tonnes of the waste cleared was sent for recycling, while the remaining 190 tonnes has been sent for burning to make heat and electricity – creating, the firm says, enough power to make 700,000 cups of tea!
The clean-up operation along the 3.5-mile route of the renowned celebration of Caribbean culture involved 170 staff and 30 vehicles working relentlessly to clear the plastic bottles, beer cans, food packaging, carnival-related props and attire and other waste discarded by carnival-goers this year before Tuesday’s (29 August) morning commute.
A free cleaning service was offered by Westminster City Council to residents with gardens and basements along the carnival route, with a team of sweepers covering more than 100 streets.
Commenting after the annual street carnival, Councillor David Harvey, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Sports and Community said: “While the clean-up operation represents a logistical challenge, our council officers and Veolia have done us proud. The transformation is staggering and I know our residents and visitors appreciate their dedication. It is hard to imagine that only yesterday our streets were lined with people celebrating Europe’s biggest street festival.”
Helder Branco, Senior Contract Manager for Veolia in Westminster added: "While the clean-up following Notting Hill Carnival represents a sizeable challenge, it’s one we relish because it’s a real team effort. We deal with the waste in the most sustainable way possible and are pleased to be able to use it to power and heat local homes.”
The clean-up operation performed by Veolia was of a similar scope to that of last year, where 170 street cleaners and 60 waste vehicles cleared around 200 tonnes of waste left behind by an estimated two million attendees of the Carnival’s 50th anniversary.
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.