DC State Fair Advances Waste Reduction Initiatives
By Oana Leahu-Aluas, Member of the DC State Fair Board
Since 2018, the DC State Fair has made a concerted effort to reduce waste generated at its annual September event. From introducing composting, to encouraging vendors to use compostable food service ware, to training and overseeing volunteers to staff on-site “zero waste stations,” the DC State Fair is working towards being zero waste in all operations while also educating community members on actions they can take to reduce waste. The DC State Fair defines zero waste as the diversion of 90 percent or more of waste generated by its events without the use of landfills, waste-to-energy, or incineration.
Recognizing there is even more we could do, the DC State Fair has continued to innovate and find ways to reduce our waste impact. In early 2022, the DC State Fair adopted a zero waste strategy with two goals:
Achieve zero waste at all in-person fair events and
Maximize use of reusables at all in-person fair events, with a preference for non-petroleum based products.
This past May, our first ever Spring Mini-Fair marked another first: the first time reusable takeout containers were used by vendors and participants at a DC community festival as a way to reduce waste.
We partnered with Plastic Tree, the sole reusable takeout container provider in the DC area, to pilot the use of reusables. Three food vendors opted-in to the Spring Mini-Fair reusables pilot: Happy Hippo Shaved Ice, OSO Delicious, and Dogs on the Curb.
Incentives were offered to food vendors for incorporating reusables, including a discount off their vendor fees. All vendors were also informed of the District requirements related to waste reduction, and provided with resources such as supplier lists to encourage them to use compostable food service ware.
Participants at the Spring Mini-Fair had the option of having their food served in a reusable container, or the traditional container provided by the vendor. In total, 87 reusable containers were distributed for use, and 50 of them were returned by participants, resulting in a return rate of 57%. Using the traditional diversion rate metric that only looks at the weight of materials recycled or composted compared to all waste materials generated, the Spring Mini-Fair achieved a diversion rate of 72%. While it fell short of the 90% goal, it provides an important data point that will inform future waste reduction efforts.
Jaime Loizzo, DC State Fair Board President, noted:
“DC State Fair events provide community members the opportunity to celebrate everything that makes the District and its residents special. At the same time, we know events can result in a lot of waste, so we’re always looking for innovative ways to reduce waste and make a positive impact. I’m excited to be the first major DC event organizer to pilot reusable food containers and hope we can build a culture of zero waste among our fellow local events and vendors. We heard from vendors that they really liked the feel and strength of the reusable containers, and we will explore how to incorporate them at our main DC State Fair this upcoming September 11 at Gateway DC at Saint Elizabeth's East.”
Lara Ilao, Founder and Owner of Plastic Tree, added:
“Offering reusables as an option at large-scale venues and events is a step in the right direction to reaching DC’s waste reduction goals, and the DC State Fair proved to be the perfect ecosystem to implement the GloBox reusable takeout system on a larger scale. One factor to leading a successful reuse program is making sure all stakeholders understand how it works and why it is important. DC State Fair worked to reduce barriers to participation by offering incentives to vendors and attendees. With increased visibility at large scale events and venues, I believe more people will get with the (reuse) program.”
Looking toward September, the DC State Fair will draw lessons learned from the Spring Mini-Fair and think through how to scale them for an event with a much larger footprint and many more attendees and vendors. We plan to collaborate again with Plastic Tree to find ways to enhance the use of reusable containers and improve the return rate.
Fair attendees are also a huge component of the DC State Fair reaching its zero waste goals. Attendees can bring their own water bottles, utensils, and bags; consume all food and drinks purchased; and tell vendors how much they appreciate when they use compostable, recyclable, or reusable packaging.