Over 40,000 guests participated in the two-day Kongu Wedding Food Festival organized by the Tamil Nadu Caterers Association at CODISSIA Grounds last Saturday and Sunday. This massive food fest generated more than 25 tons of waste (wet and dry).

How it was handled is nothing short of a wonder.

The organizers joined hands with the Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC), a widely recognized NGO in Coimbatore, to handle the waste sustainably.

R. Raveendran, Honorary Secretary of RAAC, said that the event generated 12 tons of waste on Saturday and 15 tons on Sunday. At least 20 tons of the total waste was dry waste, comprising wooden spoons, bowls, paper, things made from recycled plastics and recyclable materials. Only 5 tons were wet waste, i.e., food waste. 

The dry waste materials will be cleaned, dried, and then sent for recycling to respective facilities, while the wet waste (i.e., the food waste) was sent to piggeries in and around Coimbatore.

“The materials used in this food festival were all recyclable. This has set a precedence for others to follow. he organizers should be commended for not using plastics in a program of this scale,” Raveendran said. The excess food from the festival was provided to the poor and needy through No Food Waste, he added.

Speaking further he said that a member of RAAC is in the process setting up a huge recycling facility near Annur that is scheduled to function from March 2025 onwards. This facility spans 7 acres and can even handle plastics and non-recyclable plastics. RAAC will help this facilty to receive recyclable materials from large scale event organizers and others, so that waste that could be recycled won't end up in the dump yards.