Writing a Waste Management Plan That Passes a London Council
Most London boroughs now require a written waste management plan as part of the event licence or parks hire agreement. Plans get rejected for the same three reasons every time – vague volume estimates, no bin map, and no named waste carrier.
First-time event organisers often think the plan is a long document. It isn't – it's a short, specific one. Two pages done well usually passes; ten pages of copy-paste usually fails.
Licensing officers at Westminster, Camden, Hackney, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Islington and Kensington & Chelsea all look for the same six things, and they're all checkable against objective evidence.
Park authorities – Royal Parks, Lee Valley, the GLA and individual borough parks teams – add a seventh requirement: a post-event site restoration commitment with a handover timeline.
This page explains the six-point structure every London council waste plan needs, gives a worked example, and links to the service we offer to write and sign the plan for you under our waste carrier registration.
The Six Sections Every Plan Needs
1. Expected Waste Volumes
State the attendance, event duration, and kg of waste per attendee (a defensible London average is 0.5–1.2kg). Break by stream: residual, mixed recycling, food waste, glass. A festival estimate should also include build-up and de-rig waste separately.
2. Bin Specification and Placement
Types (240L, 1100L, FEL, recycling station), total count, stream allocation, and a site map showing each bin location. A written bin list without a map is the single most common reason for plan rejection.
3. Collection Schedule and Frequency
Show collection timing aligned to event peaks – not fixed route times. Include a contingency for overflow: who responds, how quickly, and from where. Reference any out-of-hours permits needed for early-morning collection.
4. Recycling Targets and Measurement
Set a realistic percentage diversion target (60–85% is credible; 98% is not), explain how streams will be kept segregated, and name the recycling facilities. Evidence in the post-event report – weighbridge tickets per stream.
5. Licensed Waste Carrier
Name of the registered carrier, EA licence number (ours is CBDU527690), insurance certificates, and a copy of the duty-of-care transfer note template. Councils can and do verify the licence number on the day.
6. Contingency and Post-Event Restoration
Overflow response, extreme weather, equipment failure. Post-event: handover window to the venue or park ranger, and commitment to restore the site to pre-event condition with photo evidence.
Worked Example: 8,000-Capacity Park Event
Event: Single-day music event, Victoria Park, 8,000 attendees, 4pm–10pm, four bars and five food traders.
Expected volume: 8,000 × 0.9kg = 7.2 tonnes. Residual ~35%, mixed recycling ~25%, food ~15%, glass ~15%, compostables ~10%.
Bins: 18× 1100L wheelies, 6× 3-stream stations, 4× green-lid 240L glass bins (one per bar), 5× food caddies (one per trader), 2× 20L oil drums. See attached site map.
Schedule: Pre-event place 09:00. Mid-event empty at 19:00 (pre-headliner peak). End-event clearance 22:00–01:00. Overflow response: on-site crew, sub-30-minute response.
Recycling target: 75% diversion from landfill; streams listed and named destination facilities provided.
Carrier: Any London Waste, Environment Agency licence CBDU527690, £5m public liability.
Restoration: Park ranger handover 06:00 day after event; photograph set attached to post-event report within 10 working days.
Common Reasons Plans Get Rejected
✗ Vague Volumes
"Several bins" or "waste will be collected regularly" doesn't pass. Give specific kg-per-attendee, stream percentages and bin counts.
✗ No Site Map
A bin list without a map showing placement gets sent back. The map lives alongside the stewarding plan.
✗ Wrong Carrier Licence
Upper-tier licence needed for commercial waste; lower-tier carriers are refused on larger events. Verify the level before submitting.
✗ Unrealistic Targets
Claiming 95%+ recycling on an outdoor public event is almost never credible. Set defensible targets you can actually evidence.
✗ Food Waste Missing
Simpler Recycling now requires food waste to be segregated. A plan that lumps it into residual fails compliance check.
✗ No Contingency
Councils want to see the failure mode covered – overflow response, equipment breakdown, weather. One paragraph is enough if it's specific.
Which London Boroughs Require a Waste Plan?
In practice, every borough and Royal Park authority does – though the format and strictness vary. Events at the following locations almost always need a full written plan signed by a registered waste carrier:
- Royal Parks (Hyde Park, Regent's Park, Greenwich Park, St James's Park)
- GLA-managed spaces and Trafalgar Square
- Victoria Park, Finsbury Park, Alexandra Palace (Tower Hamlets, Haringey)
- Westminster, Camden, Hackney, Southwark, Lambeth, Kensington & Chelsea, Islington, Tower Hamlets
- Private-hire venues with a council premises licence (e.g. ExCeL, Olympia, O2, Tobacco Dock, Printworks successors)
Our Waste Management Plan Service
Written Under Our Waste Carrier Licence
Plans are written and signed off under CBDU527690, which satisfies the "licensed carrier" section automatically.
Site Walk Included
We visit the venue to draw the bin plan to scale – not a free-hand sketch.
2–3 Working Day Turnaround
From site walk to licence-ready document, typically within a week for standard events.
Council Format Matching
Plans are formatted to match the receiving council's template – Westminster, Camden, Hackney, Southwark and others all have their own preferred structure.
Revisions Included
If the licensing officer comes back with questions, we handle the revision at no extra cost.
Included Free With Booked Events
Plans are free when you book the event waste operation with us. Stand-alone write-ups are priced per event from £350.
