ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Around 170 cleaners and 30 vehicles took to London's streets last week to sweep away the debris left behind following this year's Notting Hill Carnival.

More than a million people descended on the 3.5 mile carnival route and the surrounding areas during the two-day celebration of Caribbean culture.

The clean-up was carried out by Westminster City Council in partnership with resource management company Veolia. The amount of waste produced at the event weighed the equivalent of 25 London double-decker buses. Plastic bottles, beer cans and empty food containers made up the bulk of the debris but other items that needed to be removed included costume parts, props and inflatables.

The council also offered a free service to households along the carnival route whose front gardens or basements needed cleaning. More than 150 brooms and shovels were employed by a team of sweepers for this task.

Ten tonnes of the waste produced was recycled while the rest was converted into green energy. This will provide up to 100,000 kWh of heat - said to be sufficient for 80,000 hot showers or 700,000 cups of tea.

"While the clean-up following Notting Hill Carnival represents a sizeable challenge, it's one we relish because it's a real team effort," said Helder Branco, senior contract manager for Veolia in Westminster. "We deal with the waste in the most sustainable way possible and are pleased to be able to use it to power and heat local homes."

Notting Hill Carnival has been staged over the August Bank Holiday by the British Caribbean community every year since 1966.