​Waste Mission has released its top tips for a circular Christmas celebration, including measuring your festive footprint and preparing an upfront seasonal audit. The UK typically generates 3 million tonnes of waste during the festive season. We also throw away an estimated 227,000 miles of wrapping paper and more than 4 million Christmas dinners each year. However, the waste management company says, it is possible to have a Christmas celebration that embodies the spirit of the season but is also mindful of the planet.
“A circular Christmas is not about denying fun – it’s about ensuring that every detail, from packaging to office parties, is aligned with your company’s purpose and values,” says Nicola Guest, Waste Mission’s Group Marketing and Procurement Manager.
Office parties and staff events represent a great opportunity to start as you mean to go on. In practice, this could mean replacing disposable decorations and plastic tableware with reusable options, hiring crockery, or ensuring circular Christmas decorations by making festive centrepieces out of reclaimed or upcycled materials.
According to the Carbon Trust, a two-metre artificial tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg. You’d need to re-use an artificial tree 10 times to offset its carbon footprint, says the Soil Association. However, it’s estimated that fake trees are used only four times. The Soil Association recommends a real tree, suggesting looking for a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified tree that’s organic and local for the least environmental impact or even a living Christmas tree that can stay at your workplace all year round. When recycling, look for local authority mulching schemes or start your own company compost pile.
Waste Mission’s key tips include preparing an upfront audit of what typically happens in December, “This means tracking where most waste is generated, how materials are used and where opportunities exist to design out waste entirely,” says Guest.
Waste Mission has a long track record in comprehensive waste management services, handling everything from scrap metal to liquid waste. Access to its digital waste portal gives contracted clients full visibility over their waste data and full traceability for compliance.
If you’d like to find out more about how to improve your waste management, book a waste review today.