EVENT GREENING FORUM

Reusables vs disposables: Which is more responsible in the age of Covid?

A concern that is regularly voiced in discussions on the new health and safety practices for events is the increase in single-use items and packaging, and the environmental impact this is having. Is there another way, to be both safe and sustainable?

By Greg MacManus, chairperson of EGF.

Last year, the international Sustainable Event Alliance (SEA) hosted a hackathon which brought eight hundred event professionals from around the world together (virtually, of course) to consider where sustainable event management priorities should be focused during the Covid-19 pandemic.

One concern that repeatedly came up was that the progress that has recently been made in reducing single-use plastic at events will be undone, because of uncertainty about the safety of using reusables with Covid-19, and the perceived superior hygiene of disposables. This is especially apparent in terms of event catering, where the current trend is to serve all food items, cutlery and so forth individually sealed in plastic packaging.

Reusables are a viable option

Based on this global concern, sustainability and event professionals researched the issue and, under the SEA label, released a set of guidelines called: Reusables hygiene at events: Global best practice guidelines. And the good news that the guidelines share is that, if existing hygiene standards for reusables at events are adhered to, they will be Covid-safe.

“This finding is perhaps unsurprising, given that our industry has always had rigorous health and safety standards to protect our attendees – whether from food poisoning, viruses or other potentially harmful germs,” said Greg McManus, Event Greening Forum chairperson.

“I would recommend that event organisers, venues and suppliers who wish to have reusables at events read the guidelines, which share best practice recommendations for handling and cleaning reusables, as well as how best to manage communication around their use. A self-assessment checklist and gap analysis are also included.”

These guidelines are available as a free download. To get your copy, visit eventgreening.co.za and go to ‘Downloads’ under the ‘Resources’ tab. If you are able to, please hyperlink the web address to: https://www.eventgreening.co.za/ resources/downloads/

But remember, how you serve it matters

Regardless of whether you decide to serve food in single-use packaging or with reusable service-ware, precautions need to be taken in how they are handled. The World Health Organisation explains that Covid-19 is spread via respiratory droplets in the air, from “an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe heavily.” These will then infect another person via their mouth, nose or eyes. This explains why masks, social distancing and good ventilation are effective measures to prevent transmission.

However, there is also a small risk of infection should a person touch a surface contaminated with these respiratory droplets, and then touch their face and thereby transfer the virus to their mouth, nose or eyes.

To counteract this risk, extra precautions are needed when handling items, and especially food, at an event. For example, some venues and hotels have opted to serve buffets behind transparent screens, and with a trained staff member plating the food for attendees who will then point to their desired selection. The handling of pre-packaged food will also require that precautionary measures be put in place, as the packaging itself is a surface that could become contaminated just as easily as any other type of surface.

“For this reason, our recommendation is to educate yourself and your team, so that however you decide to cater at your events, it is done responsibly,” Mr McManus concluded.

About the EGF

The Event Greening Forum (EGF) is a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainability within the business events sector. It does this by hosting educational sessions for industry and lobbying government in an effort to implement sustainability principles into the daily operations of the events industry. The EGF was established through dedication and support of eight industry associations who are recognised as founding members. The founding members are key industry associations working together to promote South Africa as a destination for various types of events.

Want to know more?

If you would like to know more about event greening, visit wwweventgreening.co.za where you can browse the free resources, sign up to the monthly newsletter, or contact them directly with any queries.

Contact: Lynn Mcleod

T: 082 891 5883 E: lynn@eventgreening.co.za