Planning numbers
These are the numbers we use to size crews and supplies. They aren't laws of nature; adjust for your menu and your crowd.
| Event | Stations (trash + recycling) | 33-gallon bags |
|---|---|---|
| 50-guest party, appetizers and drinks | 1 | 5 to 7 |
| 100-guest wedding, plated dinner and full bar | 2 | 10 to 13 |
| 150-guest wedding, buffet and full bar | 3 | 17 to 22 |
| 250-guest gala, plated dinner | 5 | 22 to 28 |
| 500-person outdoor festival day | 10 to 13 | 45 to 65 |
Use the event cleanup calculator to work it out for your own guest count, menu and venue.
What changes the numbers
The menu
Plated dinners produce the least loose trash because the caterer clears plates. Buffets and food stations produce more: disposable plates, napkins and half-eaten seconds. Heavy appetizers fall in between. A drinks-only reception produces mostly cups and bottles, which go in recycling.
The bar
A full bar or beer and wine service adds a lot of glass and cans. Put a recycling bin next to the bar itself, not only at the stations.
Outdoors
Outdoor events produce more trash per guest and spread it out. Plan stations every 40 guests and along the routes people walk: entrances, food lines, restrooms and parking.
How long it runs
Longer events mean more drinks and a second round of snacks. Add about 5% for every hour past four.
Where to put the bins
- Pair every trash bin with a recycling bin, with clear signs. Single bins end up full of bottles.
- Put stations where people finish things: by the bar, the dessert table, the exit and the smoking area.
- Keep them out of photos. Behind a pillar or at the edge of the room works.
- Line every bin, and leave spare bags in the bottom of each one.
- Have someone empty bins once during the event, usually after dinner. Overflowing bins are where most of the mess starts.
After the event
Check with the venue where full bags go and whether the dumpster will hold them. A 150-guest wedding can fill a small dumpster on its own. If it won't fit, plan to take bags away or add haul-away to your cleanup.
Event Cleaning Pros can drop off lined bins and recycling signs before your event, so there's less to clean later. It's listed as "Trash stations before the event" in the booking form.