What it takes to clear 330 tonnes of Carnival waste: reflecting on the scale of Europe’s biggest post-event clean-up
The SUEZ team works all year round to keep the borough clean, but over the August bank holiday weekend they faced a familiar challenge: clearing the 330 tonnes of waste left behind by millions of Carnival-goers, with streets fully restored and ready by Tuesday morning for residents, businesses, and commuters.
Since 1997, SUEZ has been responsible for the Carnival clean-up, developing a tried-and-tested operational plan to ensure the streets are cleared efficiently and safely every year. This time was no different with 180 staff and 45 waste collection vehicles from SUEZ deployed to carry out the job.
They left their depot at around 10pm each evening, working until the streets were clear for the Carnival to restart on Monday and for life to return to normal by Tuesday morning. Street cleaning teams and graffiti removal experts continued in the days following to ensure the area was fully refreshed.
Dedicated tip containers for gas canisters were in place again this year for the third time running. These containers help ensure that canisters - which can be a major fire and explosion hazard if disposed of incorrectly - are safely collected and managed, diverted away from the general waste stream.
Gary O’Hagan, Regional Manager at SUEZ, said: “Every year, cleaning up after Notting Hill Carnival is an enormous operation. Over the weekend, SUEZ teams worked through the night to collect more than 300 tonnes of waste and recycling – ensuring about 30 per cent of the waste collected is recycled.
“It’s always incredible to see how planning, teamwork, and experience come together to restore the streets so quickly – everything was cleared by Tuesday morning, with our crews working diligently to make sure the area is safe, tidy, and ready for the week ahead.
“We’re proud of the role we play in helping such a landmark event run smoothly, and grateful to everyone involved in making the clean-up as efficient and thorough as possible.”
Cllr Johnny Thalassites, lead member for environment and planning at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said: “Our communities rightly expect their streets to be back to normal and ready for business by Tuesday morning after Carnival, and we’re very proud to deliver that year in, year out. It’s a major operation and I am in awe of the hard-working men and women in our waste crews who work tirelessly through the night to collect the rubbish on Sunday and Monday.
“The work didn’t stop there with extra jet-washing and graffiti cleaning throughout the week following the bank holiday weekend so that the streets quickly return to their usual condition.”