Last weekend's Notting Hill Carnival was a massive success and one million revellers had a fantastic time. With the environmental impact of such a large event in mind, the carnival organisers worked closely with Westminster City Council and cleansing contractors Veolia to clear up 100 tonnes of waste.
The cleaning action involved an army of 170 cleaners and 50 vehicles that sprang into action as soon as the carnival came to an end each day. The council was aiming to smash its existing record of 3 hours and 41 minutes for this challenging task, which ensured that all traces of the carnival were removed and roads reopened by Tuesday morning.
Cllr Ed Argar, cabinet member for city management, said: "We have planned the clean-up operation with military precision as removing up to 100 tonnes of waste is a huge undertaking. By Tuesday morning nobody will notice that our streets played host to the second largest street carnival in the world."
The clean up operation was meticulously planned in partnership with Veolia, who sorted the mountain of waste and recycled as much as possible. At last year's event the cleaners recycled over 150,000 drinks cans and plastic bottles! A free cleaning service was also offered to Westminster residents living on the carnival route, returning front gardens to a tidy condition along with the road outside.
Cllr Argar added: "Although residents get prime viewing points for the carnival, the downside is that due to the sheer size and scale of the event rubbish does inevitably end up in their gardens. We want to do out bit to help limit the impact the carnival has on our residents by making sure their gardens and pathways are as clean as they were before it began."
