Every city needs events. Whether it is concerts, festivals, exhibitions, or summits, events make up the lifeblood of a city. The challenge is, the bigger the event, the bigger the mess it leaves behind.

For this reason the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz went green this year by partnering with Pikitup, the City of Joburg’s (CoJ) waste management entity, to recycle and manage the event’s waste. The annual jazz event took place in Newtown last week, from 22 to 24 August 2013.

Pikitup provided 60 240 litre bins for the duration of the event and recycling stations were placed throughout the event. All bins will be clearly marked with stickers, as follows:

• Paper

• Glass

• Cans

• Plastic

This was not the first event under Pikitup’s supervision, but one of many. The waste management entity has provided services for major events such as the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Both events were a great success. Apart from presenting a clean and hygienic city to Johannesburg’s international guests, Pikitup had the opportunity to showcase and refine its strategy by, ensuring that the influx of visitors did not have an adverse impact on waste meant for landfill sites.

Events of this scale often create large amounts of solid waste leading up to, during and post the actual event. This is no different with the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz which generates thousands of tons of waste each year. “Pikitup is happy to work with the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz. Such events are always an ideal forum to promote recycling and to show people that this is a lifestyle wherever you are. We also continue to seek ways of educating people on the economic and environmental benefits of reducing the amount of waste going to landfills by recycling,” says Pansy Oyedele, Pikitup spokesperson.

“While Pikitup has accepted custodianship of the city’s cleanliness, the city’s residents also have a vital role to play. Unfortunately, there is a pervasive mind-set among Joburg citizens that tolerates littering and illegal dumping. The negative consequences of this mind-set extend far beyond the visible blight of unhealthy illegal dumps,” says Oyedele.

It costs the City R170 million per annum to clean up street littering and illegal dump sites alone – money that could be far better utilised on 7 350 RDP houses, 588 new ambulances or any number of projects that could bring the city up to world-class standards. Pikitup’s ongoing ‘Project 100 Spots’ campaign is not only dedicated to cleaning up illegal dumping sites, but also informing communities about the hazards of illegal dumping, encouraging citizens to take stewardship of these sites.

CoJ has a special application process for big events planned within the city. A variety of issues are taken into account, i.e. safety, route access and waste management. A committee comprising of all the relevant departments within the CoJ is responsible for reviewing such applications. Specific requirements relating to waste management may include separation at source and regular collection of waste during events. The organisers of such events can elect the CoJ to undertake such services or may utilise private contractors. As long as proper waste management best practices are recognised and followed.

“We hope to see more of these ‘green events’ in the city, as it is all about making better choices; using alternative products; adopting healthier habits; and changing our decisions when planning and attending an event. We encourage people to always reduce, reuse, recycle and most importantly rethink,” concludes Oyedele.