Christmas drinks have probably been on the agenda for some time at your organization as well. A time to end the year together over a snack and a drink, to celebrate successes and make plans for the new year. Together with the decorations, packaging materials and food scraps, a Christmas party constitutes a quantity of waste.
Our Zero Waste Officer Milan researched how much waste is generated during a Christmas party. As a Zero Waste Expert, he also shares practical tips on how to dispose of waste and how to organize a Zero Waste Christmas party next year. Are you reading?
The amount of Christmas party waste
How much waste is actually released at a Christmas party? Our Zero Waste Officer Milan investigated and took an average get-together of 100 people as a starting point. This releases an average of 20 to 30 pounds of waste - comparable to twice the weight of a full shopping bag for a family of four, but filled with garbage.
This waste consists mainly of residual waste, packaging material and food scraps. The last category is particularly striking: on average, 30% of the food served remains. Think of snacks that are not eaten at the end of the evening or over-ordered dishes that go straight into the waste bin.
What waste is generated at a Christmas party and how can you handle it in the best possible way?
Milan has listed the most common waste streams. He takes you step by step what waste is released at Christmas drinks and how best to separate it:
Step1: Beverage containers
The time has come: the 2024 Christmas Party. The first employees are trickling in, and of course this includes drinks. From juices and soft drinks to a glass of wine, these drinks are packaged in different materials. You can divide this packaging into the following waste streams:
Deposit
Soft drink cans and plastic bottles can be collected separately and handed in for a deposit. This prevents valuable materials such as aluminum and plastic from being lost in residual waste. Beer bottles often also fall under the deposit system and can be collected. If there is no deposit on them, they belong in the bottle bank. Did you know that beer caps often end up in residual waste unnecessarily? Milan tells you more about this in this blog.
PMD bin
Other packaging, such as juice containers, can be disposed of in the PMD bin. This is where empty plastic, metal and drinking cartons may be collected. Does your company use a free PD bin instead of a PMD bin? Only plastic and metal packaging may be collected here. Drinking cartons then belong with residual waste or another specific waste stream.
Did you know that coffee pods and tea bags can, in many cases, be disposed of with the VGF waste? Read more about this on the Afvalcirculair website.
Glass
Glass wine bottles belong in the bottle bank because glass is recycled separately. Glass is one of the few materials that can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality. Separation ensures that the material stays clean and can be reused immediately.
Step 2: Food packaging
Almost everyone has arrived, time for snacks. Serving snacks and appetizers often releases packaging materials. It is important to separate these properly, as packaging with food residue or grease disrupts the recycling process and reduces the quality of the recycled material. You can consider the following:
- Cardboard packaging: Clean and dry cardboard packaging may go with the waste paper. Oily or contaminated packaging belongs with the residual waste.
- Aluminum foil or trays: These belong with PMD waste, provided they are clean and empty. Contaminated foil or trays should go in the residual waste.
- Napkins and paper plates: Although napkins and paper plates are made of paper or cardboard, these belong with residual waste.
- Plastic containers: Plastic packaging such as bags, trays and foil, may go with PMD waste, provided they are empty and clean. Packaging that still contains food residue belongs with residual waste.
Step 3: Food scraps
Christmas drinks are over: time to clean up. But, what to do with the food leftovers?
Almost every Christmas party leaves leftovers. This is logical, as it is often difficult to estimate exactly how much is needed. To avoid throwing away unnecessary food, you can give the leftover appetizers to your employees.
The other leftover food can then be discarded in organic waste, also known as swill. Swill includes food scraps left over after meals and food preparation, both vegetable and animal. To make it clear, our Zero Waste Officer has created a checklist:
What is allowed with swill?
The food scraps below may be included in swill waste, provided that all packaging, toothpicks, foil and other non-organic materials have been removed first.
- Vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and radishes
- Fruit, such as grapes, pieces of melon
- Bread, wraps and sandwiches
- Cheese cubes and other non-processed snacks
- Quiche or savory pie
- Cooked or prepared snacks that are not laced with fat
- Small portions of salad
- Sauces, such as mayonnaise, ketchup or dressing
- Coffee grounds
What is not allowed with swill?
The food scraps below do not belong in swill waste. Read how to separate them properly here.
- Excessively fatty or processed foods such as pieces of sausage, bitterballen, potato chips, croquettes, oliebollen or other highly processed snacks infused with oil or fat belong in residual waste. The high fat content interferes with the processing process.
- Food leftovers still attached to napkins, foil or cardboard plates should only go to GTF waste the material is clean. Is there any food residue attached? Then you may place the napkins, foil and cardboard plates in the residual waste.
- After rinsing frying fat, you can pour it back into the bottle and return it to a collection point, such as the supermarket or the environmental centre.
- Tea bags should not go with swill waste because some tea bags contain plastic which is not biodegradable. Therefore, these should be disposed of with the organic waste.
- Sauces, such as gravy, ragout, hollandaise sauce or garlic butter, belong in residual waste because of fats and processed ingredients that complicate the processing process.
- Candy and chocolate belong in residual waste. The sugars and additives make them unsuitable for swill.
Step 4: Decorations
To make Christmas drinks extra festive, the room is often decorated with decorations. Afterwards, however, a lot of decoration waste is often left behind, such as garlands, tablecloths, baubles and other decorating materials. Milan, our Zero Waste Officer has a sustainable solution for this: save decorations for next year as much as possible. Are they really in need of replacement? Then it's best to separate them in the following way:
Garlands and other paper decoration materials
Paper garlands without glitter or plastic parts can go in the trash. Garlands with glitter, plastic or other non-paper materials belong in the residual waste.
Tablecloths
Clean paper tablecloths can go in the trash. Do the tablecloths contain food residue or stains? Then you can throw them in the residual waste.
Plastic tablecloths can be thrown away with residual waste, unless your municipality accepts them as PMD waste. You can easily check this via the waste guide.
Christmas Balls
It happens sometimes: a bauble breaks. It's best to put these in the garbage instead of the bottle bank. Although they appear to be made of glass, they can interfere with the glass recycling process due to decorative elements such as glitter, paint and coating, among other things.
Plastic baubles can be thrown in the residual waste, provided your municipality accepts them. Again, you can check with the waste guide to see how this is within your municipality.
Christmas Lights
Did you know that the Dutch collectively have more than 170,000 kilometers of Christmas lights in their homes? This means you can go around the world three times with this garland. Unfortunately, they also break down from time to time. Electric Christmas lights fall under electrical appliances and can be handed in at an environmental street or drop-off point for electronics.
Tips for a Zero Waste Christmas Party
Zero Waste Officer Expert Milan explored how to host a Zero Waste Christmas Party next year. A great ambition, to further roll out Zero Waste within your organization by 2025. He takes you through some practical tips:
- Make use of reusable decoration: after all, it comes in handy every year. Here you can use fabric tablecloths, with a fun Christmas print of course, wooden decorations or LED lights.
- On-site separation: To separate waste as efficiently as possible, it is useful to provide the space with clear waste bins, such as PMD, paper and glass. This will help you keep waste organized and recyclable. Use reusable dishes and glasses. Don't have these available in large quantities? If so, you can always hire them through a rental company.
- Sustainable catering: By working with a caterer who works with local and seasonal products, you can reduce your environmental impact. In addition, choose smaller portions to avoid food waste and discuss in advance how leftovers can be reused, such as a donation to the food bank.
Idea or solution? We'd love to hear it
A Zero Waste ambition, also starts with Christmas drinks. Proper collection and separation of waste, such as at a Christmas party or other occasion, is an important step in reducing waste and conserving resources. Although the Christmas party may seem like a small part, it contributes to a bigger picture: a circular economy in which materials are reused in the best possible way.
Ask our Zero Waste Officer
Are you in doubt as to whether certain items within your office are unnecessarily ending up in the residual waste? Milan is happy to help. Send your question to marketing@milgro.nl and we will get back to you with a solution for your residual waste stream.
