David Bellamy Conservation Awards

Waste Management

Waste management is an expensive business so waste reduction, re-use and recycling should be a central element in any park’s environmental work: If you can reduce the amount of waste that is carted off to landfill, you’ll not only help the planet, but you could also reduce your waste management costs.

The starting point for any waste management work should be a clean, litter-free park. So make sure you have enough litter bins and a poop-a-scoop policy (and perhaps a dog run) that stops dog mess being a problem. Also please make sure that chemical wastes from caravan toilets are properly disposed of. If you have an on-park sewage treatment system, please make sure that this is functioning effectively and that all discharge consents etc. are in order. Many parks have had success with reed bed systems that can be used as a final stage in waste treatment – and which also have a lot of wildlife value as habitats.

The next step is to think about how to reduce the amount of waste your site produces. This can take a bit of imagination and lateral thinking, but you can make a real difference by, for example, simply re-using old envelopes or by buying in bulk to reduce packaging waste. You can also reduce waste by purchasing products that have less environmental impact such as low-VOC paints and phosphate-free detergents.

Recycling is the next thing to think about. You should aim to get as large a variety and tonnage of waste recycled as possible. Items that can be recycled include: glass; paper and cardboard; ferrous metal and aluminium; plastics and textiles; construction and wood waste; other wastes such as batteries, paints, cooking oils etc. Organic waste (such as garden clippings, wood chips, food waste etc.) can be composted.

To get your park recycling, you’ll obviously need to set up an on-park collection system for waste produced by your guests and by your business itself. This will depend on the size of your park, but should have clearly signed recycling collection points that are easy for guests and residents to access, but which are also well-screened and tidy. A recycling system will only work if guests, residents and staff use it properly. So it is vital to provide them with easy-to-understand information and lots of encouragement.

You’ll also need to find a way to get the waste you collect taken away and actually recycled. Your local council should be your first port of call, however, some councils will not collect from parks. In this situation, many parks have found that using commercial waste recycling companies can be cost effective. Others have had success working with charity bodies. Smaller parks often manage by carting their waste to their local recycling centre themselves.