Zero Waste SA guidelines for managing waste at events and venues

47
GLOSSARY
> Back of house areas closed to the public including areas
designated for administration, kitchens, staff, vendor only
areas and service areas.
> Biodegradable degradation caused by biological
activity, particularly by enzyme action leading to
significant changes in the material’s chemical structure.
Biodegradable products should break down cleanly, in
a defined time period, to simple molecules found in the
environment such as carbon dioxide and water.*
> Cleaning contractor a company engaged by an event
organiser or venue to carry out specific tasks such
as cleaning of toilet facilities, transfer of waste from
collection points to disposal points, litter collection.
> Compost (noun) a product produced by the breakdown
of organic matter, such as garden and food waste,
by bacteria and other micro-organisms into a nutrient
rich natural fertiliser. Compost improves soil structure,
providing nutrients for plant growth and increases water
and nutrient retention in the soil.
> Compostable materials must be demonstrated to
biodegrade and disintegrate in a compost system during
the composting process (typically around 12 weeks at
temperatures over 50 o C). The compost must meet quality
criteria such as heavy metal content, ecotoxicity, and no
obvious distinguishable residues caused by the breakdown
of the polymers. Compostable plastics are a subset of
biodegradable plastics.*
> Container Deposit Legislation (CDL) South Australian
incentive to recycle selected beverage containers with a
10 cent refund to the depositor.
> Degradable items designed to break down into smaller
particle sizes to a specific extent within a given time and
within a specific environment (i.e. the item just breaks
down into smaller pieces of plastic).**
> Event a gathering of people in a location to celebrate,
socialise or be entertained; not fixed to any one location
> Fixed venue a location where gatherings frequently
occur for celebration, socialising and entertainment.
> Front of house areas open to members of the public,
for example grassy spaces, marquees, exhibition
spaces, bars, dining areas and toilets.
> Greenhouse gas emissions emissions which contribute
to the global issue of climate change, including carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide; in a waste management
context, they could be generated by waste transport and
disposal methods.
> Green police a term used to describe volunteers or
staff tasked with the duty of patron education and
encouragement in waste disposal and recycling at an
event of venue; they may also gather collection and
contamination rate data on your behalf.
> Infrastructure front of house and back of house waste
management systems, consisting of bins, signage
and any support infrastructure such as bin caps and
surrounds.
> Non-renewable items which can only be used a finite
number of times (usually once) before becoming waste.
> Packaging supplier provider of packaging products
used for food, drinks and other items.
> Patrons visitors (both paying and non-paying) to an
event or venue.
> Recycle process used materials into new products.
> Source separation the separation of waste materials
into different streams (e.g. recyclables, compostables,
refund items) at the location (source) where they are
generated or produced.
> South Australia’s Strategic Plan sets out key objectives
and targets for waste management in South Australia.
> Supply chain the network of retailers, distributors,
transporters, storage facilities and suppliers that
participate in the sale, delivery and production of a
particular product or service.
> Vendors any person or company that provides goods or
services at an event or venue.
> Waste discarded items (either liquid or solid) or those
with no further purpose to humans.
> Waste Hierarchy a nationally and internationally
accepted guide for prioritising waste management
practices for the optimal environmental outcome; it sets
out the preferred order of waste management practices
from the most preferred to least preferred.
> Waste service provider a provider of services and/or
infrastructure to manage waste generated through
human activity.
> Waste streams waste items separated into different
categories e.g. cardboard and paper, refund/deposit
items, plastic wrapping and compostable material.
> Zero Waste SA a South Australian Government body
established to eliminate waste or its consignment to landfill
and advance the development of resource recovery and
recycling under the Zero Waste SA Act 2004.
* www.environment.gov.au/settlements/publications/waste/
degradables/biodegradable/
**(Using Degradable Plastics in Australia – A Product
Stewardship Guide and Commitment, PACIA 2007)