SWACO today announced the recipients of its 2019 Event Waste Reduction Grant. This grant helps fund public outreach and education efforts around waste reduction and diversion and as well as specific activities that increase reuse, recycling and composting at public events.

SWACO awarded more than $13,000 to the following five organizations:

• The Community Festival – ComFest (June 28-30, 2019). SWACO awarded a grant for $2,381.04 for the purchase of ClearStream recycling signage which will help event goers know what to recycle. The grant will also support the purchase of transport carts to make the use of existing recycling containers easier for event organizers.
• The city of Dublin – Dublin Irish Festival (August 2-4, 2019). SWACO awarded $6,000 in grant funding for the purchase of ClearStream recycling containers and for consulting services provided by Zero Waste Event Productions to implement a sorting station for 10,000 pounds of event-generated waste. The sorting station will help improve the recovery of recyclable materials and food waste.
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish (OLPH) – OLPH Summer Festival (Aug 16-17, 2019). SWACO awarded $2,000 to help the festival achieve zero waste. SWACO’s support will help with the purchase of feather sails and banners promoting recycling and composting, compost bins and composting hauling services for the festival.
• SEA Change, Inc. – Festival for Good (September 7, 2019). SWACO awarded a $2,000 grant for consulting services provided by Zero Waste Event Productions to implement a comprehensive recycling program. The program will include recycling bins, signage and a sorting station for event-generated materials. Information will be collected and used to benchmark and plan for recycling, composting and waste disposal at future events.
• Evans Creative Group – Columbus Coffee Festival (September 28-29, 2019). SWACO awarded $1,022.25 for the purchase of a pop-up tent to house recycling, compost and landfill containers and reusable banners and posters promoting recycling and composting of coffee grounds generated at the festival

“Franklin County is home to hundreds of public events and festivals each year that contribute to our local economy and draw tens of thousands of attendees,” said Ty Marsh, executive director at SWACO. “As our population grows and the number of events increase, it’s imperative that we take steps to manage the waste generated in a way that benefits our community and to educate attendees on the importance of these efforts.”

SWACO’s grants program includes the Community Waste Reduction Grant in addition to the Event Waste Reduction Grant. In 2018, SWACO awarded three Event Waste Reduction grants to Franklinton Farms, the 2018 Women’s Final Four and Columbus CoffeeFest.