Zero-waste interregional workshop in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

By project GPP4Growth

Published on 01 February 2019

Bulgaria

Yugoiztochen

About this good practice

In the 3rd semester of the GPP4Growth project, as part of the project activities SZREDA hosted interregional thematic workshop on eco-labels and non-exclusive GPP practices in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. The workshop lasted 2 days (16-17 May 2018) and all GPP4Growth partners participated, with members of their stakeholder groups and external experts. On the 16th of May in addition to partners and their stakeholders, SZREDA invited local stakeholders from the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transport, The Executive Environment Agency, The National Forest Agency and the managing authority of one of the Operational Programmes in Bulgaria which is part of the Ministry of Economy. This created an opportunity to exchange experience on very high level, involving decision makers on national level with external experts and stakeholders from partner countries. In order to give good example SZREDA as project partner chose external expertise for organization of the event and in the contract was stated that there had to be measures included in order for the inter regional workshop to be zero-waste event. This included еdible coffee cups, no plastic and paper cups and the usage of paper was reduced to the lowest possible - all participants had to use notebooks. There wasn't printed agenda for the event and etc. Event there was no public procurement, the contract of the event included green criteria to the provider of the service.

Resources needed

The resources needed were previously foreseen in the project budget for this activity. However it should be considered that making the event zero-waste made the organization of the event a little more expensive.

Evidence of success

There was high interest in the practice of zero-waste event from both local institutions and project partners for similar project activities. The project partner in the GPP4Growth from Ireland researched if there is a supplier that can organize zero-waste event there as well. The team of SZREDA shared details of this inter regional workshop with several interested parties and the event was zero-waste.

Potential for learning or transfer

Every organization/institution that has budget for organization of conference, inter regional workshop, project meeting or any relevant event can implement the good practice in line with its available budget in order to have zero-waste event or something as close to that.