Feasters sift bins for zero waste

YOU can have your cake and compost it too at this year’s Dark Mofo festival, where a zero-waste policy is being implemented across all events.

In an effort to minimise the popular festival’s environmental footprint, Dark Mofo organisers are doing away with single-use plastics and most general waste bins at its Winter Feast. The bulk of waste will be either compostable or recyclable.

Dark Mofo food curator Jo Cook said an audit of the contents of general waste bins last year showed only five per cent was true general waste, 18 per cent was recycling and 77 per cent could have been composted.

“Winter feast is 10,000 to 18,000 people a day. At any one time there’s 17,000 people on site. It’s a huge event and the volume of food that goes through is enormous,” she said.

That means no straws, no plastic water bottles – visitors are encouraged to refill their own bottles at the events’ free water fountains – and on-site wine glasses purchased with a refundable deposit, with dirty cups washed and re-distributed.

The sustainability team will also introduce a cooking-oil recycling program to stallholders; and engage crews to sift through food waste at the tipface to minimise contamination.

“Everyone who works in the event this year will be a part of it,” said Ms Cook.

“We’re bringing our stallholders along with us on the journey and we’re taking it very seriously.”