Zero Waste Services for Special Events (Staffing, Sorting, and Education)

Every year between the summer and autumn months, the City of Golden hosts several special events on the City's public property. Event organizers are required to follow established sustainability guidelines including providing trash, recycling, and compost collection services. Event organizers are provided with a list of accepted items that vendors may use. Traditionally, the event organizers are responsible for educating their staff and volunteers to properly dispose of the recyclable items by emptying the contents of the bag used to collect the items in the appropriate recycling dumpster. At past special events, recycling has been compromised when staff and volunteers did not remove recyclable materials from the plastic bags in which they were collected, resulting in contamination of the entire load. The City has found that waste diversion is most successful when using a dedicated service to assist organizers and attendees in following correct procedures for sorting waste. To address these challenges and improve waste diversion outcomes, the City is seeking a qualified contractor to provide staffed zero waste stations, material sorting, and public education services to reduce contamination and support successful implementation of these programs at the events. Beginning in 2026, the City will reintroduce compost collection at events, with the goal of increasing diversion, reducing landfill waste, and expanding education with support to vendors, food trucks and attendees. These efforts will be supported by increased education and coordination with vendors and food trucks to ensure proper use of compostable materials and alignment with the City's waste diversion goals. The City is also evaluating future waste reduction initiatives, including a transition away from single-use plastics toward more sustainable alternatives such as aluminum beverage containers, anticipated as early as 2027. These efforts may impact materials accepted at events and the overall approach to waste management over the course of the contract.