What a Load of Rubbish! Event Hire and Event Waste Removal: Who’s Responsible?

Organising events is a big task and one that takes meticulous effort and a lot of time. If you’re organising an event at your home or a hired venue, and perhaps you’re using a marquee, then you’ll know all too well that you have a long list of things to consider and arrange. 

Most private parties are organised by the bride or groom’s parents, a company MD or their PA, or simply the person who put their hand up to make it all happen. Everyone wants the event to go well but not everyone knows how to make that happen. 

That’s why we’re needed though, right? We help event organisers to make the right decisions. That comes from asking the right questions! 

One area we wanted to focus on this week is quite literally a bit of rubbish – event waste removal!  

Who’s responsible for the clean up after an event? Who will be in charge of making that all happen? Is it you? The venue? The marquee company? The caterers? 

Somewhere along the line that marquee will need to be emptied. Who’s responsible for that? The last thing you want is the marquee company thinking you’ll do it, and you thinking they’ll do it!  
 

Can the caterers handle event rubbish removal? 

Let’s think about this for a second. Caterers are usually part of the biggest team on site and it’s often caterers who are expected to handle much of the event rubbish removal. Catering companies naturally use more of the furniture and put out more equipment that needs to be cleaned.  

Many caterers we work with take on this responsibility to add value for their clients, and they’ll agree upfront to handle event waste removal. It does need to be agreed upfront though, so it can be quoted for, and of course the caterer needs the right size team in place to do it.  

If it’s the caterer who’s going to be responsible for breaking down tables and clearing ALL the rubbish from the event then the caterer will need some extra hands – and probably hands that haven’t been serving all night!  

Do you need to organise a cleaner?

Another option, and one we’ve seen at many society weddings and events, is the hotel or homeowner using their own team to clear the event and make it good for the marquee company to come and remove the structure – usually on the Monday morning after a weekend event.  

This is great if you have this resource, but once again, make sure you know upfront so you’re all in the right places and the right times and working together. It’s one big team on the day and we as hirers are included in that too.  

Proper organisation of event rubbish removal, from clearing away tables to making the marquee ready for dismantling, can help avoid unnecessary charges or any red faces or awkward misunderstandings if people assume others will take care of the clean-up. 

Will the other suppliers do their bit?

Often at an event like a wedding, there will be other teams on site too.

• Will the bar staff be taking their rubbish away?
• Are they going to clear the glasses and empty bottles from the tables?
• Are they supplying glasses and therefore responsible for those? Particularly the cost of breakages and missing glasses
• When will they clear up? On the day? The day after? Or later than that?

Knowing what the rest of the event team are doing, what they’re responsible for, and when they’ll be doing their part is good event management.  

Make sure this is decided beforehand. It will save any future confusion and help you to run the event more smoothly.  

Consider hiring a skip for event waste removal 

Let’s say you are responsible for event rubbish removal. One consideration that could work really well is actually a small skip. Discreetly hidden behind the catering tent or similar, a skip is the perfect solution to all that rubbish that will be created from a 300-strong party.  

A few things to remember if you go down this route are:

• Make sure the skip company knows that the skip needs to be hidden.
• Book the delivery for after the marquee is erected.
• Arrange the collection carefully around the marquee clear-up and removal and make sure access is possible.

Skips can be a godsend at a busy event but remember that you may require a recycling option too.

Don’t leave event waste removal to chance! 

Don’t leave this to chance.

Always ask: Is it me, the caterer, some cleaners, the bar company, the waiting agency, or someone else who’s responsible for the clear-up?  

Ensure you get this (ideally in writing) before your event starts. 

Make sure you know who’s responsible for leaving the venue or marquee clean and tidy. 

Who’s responsible for:

• Packing away all the plates, cutlery, linen, and furniture? 
• Laying up the event?
• Cleaning tables? 
• Empty bottles, food waste, balloons, streamers and other bits?
• Lost property?

Find out what’s expected, and you’ll keep everyone happy.

Best of luck with your event! 

Need catering equipment hire that you can trust? Contact us today. 

When hiring equipment from Plato, you can be safe in the knowledge that any electrical equipment is PAT tested before it’s hired out. Plato is also a member of the SafeHire Certification Scheme, which means we have a proven competence in safety, health, environment, and quality. This ensures you’ll receive the highest possible quality of service and catering equipment hire.