With the arrival of thousands of visitors to Bedford to take part in the River Festival this month, it’s not surprising that litter and food waste are issues at such a popular event.
As part of their efforts to tackle this, Bedford Borough Council is, for the first time, providing commercial food waste collection points for traders and caterers to help businesses dispose of any waste responsibly.
All commercial food waste collected at this year’s event will be turned into renewable energy and fertiliser for use on local farms, in the same way that domestic food waste is collected from Bedford’s households.
Unfortunately, due to high contamination rates seen at similar outdoor events, the council says it is not feasible to offer separate food waste bins for the use of the public at the River Festival.
Keep Bedford tidy
Visitors to the River Festival – one of the largest free outdoor events in the country – are encouraged to bring their own picnics to enjoy on the site, but are asked not to bring glass bottles or jars due to the increased safetly risk.
There is a dedicated picnic area on the site in Russell Park near The Kiosk and crazy golf and anyone bringing their own food and drink is asked to use the bins provided.
Each year, a huge early morning clean-up operation takes place accross the site on Sunday (19 July), thanks to the help of dozens of volunteers.
You can register your interest to help by emailing volunteering@bedford.gov.uk and meet at the Russell Park Event Control Marquee, next to the main stage, from 6.30am.
Cllr Nicky Gribble, portfolio holder for environment, said: “We’re pleased to provide food waste collection points for the first time at Bedford River Festival, helping businesses play their part in reducing waste and supporting a more sustainable event.
“It’s another example of Bedford Borough turning food waste into something useful for the local area, while making it easier for traders and caterers to manage their waste responsibly.”
