Nothing ruins an outdoor event like a concert or festival like unhealthy or unsanitary conditions. That’s why sanitary rules and regulations are so important for outdoor events. They ensure your site remains clean and orderly, which gives your guests the confidence to enjoy everything your event has to offer safely.
Two of the most important considerations for sanitation are washrooms and waste management, so it’s no surprise that these are a major focus of the sanitation rules and regulations for outdoor events.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Why Sanitation Rules Matter at Outdoor Events
Sanitation matters because it keeps people healthy and keeps outdoor event areas clean while preventing the spread of germs and even disease. Sanitation rules and regulations for outdoor events also provide organizers with guidelines to make sure they can host the best event possible.
When you’re running an event, you don’t want people leaving and relaying to their friends and family that there was garbage everywhere or there weren’t enough washrooms, so the rules and regulations provided by Alberta Health Services Environmental Public Health can be a useful asset in making sure your event goes smoothly.
The City of Calgary also provides a useful Festival and Outdoor Event Manual filled with information that can be helpful for organizers.
Sanitation Rules & Regulations for Waste Disposal
As you might imagine, the sanitation rules and regulations for outdoor events regarding waste disposal are strict and cover a lot. In the City of Calgary, all festivals and outdoor events are required to comply with Waste Bylaw 4M2020, which requires that they divert recycling, food, and yard waste away from landfills.
The City asks that organizers have a Waste Management Plan in place.
Fenceline Rentals is LEED-certified and works with event organizers to create effective recycling and waste diversion plans, as well as providing bins for waste and recycling, whether you’re renting or buying.
As an organizer, though, there are still a number of rules and regulations for outdoor events in Calgary you need to remember:
- Waste cleanup is the organizer’s responsibility and should be done daily at the conclusion of the event. That means having waste and recycling bins organized and accessible can make your job easier every day by preventing littering.
- Organizers are responsible for removing waste from the event site. In addition to providing bins, FenceLine Rentals Ltd. also provides waste disposal services.
- Signage should be clear, indicating where waste and recycling bins are located for guests to use at the event.
Sanitation Rules & Regulations for Porta Potties
Alberta requires that portable toilets be set up on an event site whenever there aren’t enough permanent facilities to meet demand. There are a few other rules and regulations that are worth noting, too.
- Portable toilets should be placed on a hard, accessible surface for servicing.
- The organizer is responsible for supplying all toilet paper and paper towels, as well as the cleaning of the portable toilets.
- For outdoor events lasting longer than one day, portable toilets must be serviced a minimum of once per day.
To ensure that portable toilets aren’t overused and that the public has access, the province also has rules and regulations for outdoor events regarding the number of toilets that must be available.
- One to 25 people: A minimum of one toilet.
- 26-50 people: One toilet for men, two for women.
- 51-75 people: Two toilets for men, three for women.
- 76-100 people: Two toilets for men, four for women.
- 101-150 people: Three toilets for men, five for women.
- 151-200 people: Four toilets for men, six for women.
- 201-300 people: Five toilets for men, seven for women.
- 301-400 people: Six toilets for men, eight for women.
- Over 400 people: Seven toilets for men, nine for women, plus one additional toilet for both genders for every 200 more people attending.
Learn more about porta potty placement, cost, and when to book.
Handwashing Stations
People need to wash their hands after they use the washrooms, and there are clear rules and regulations for outdoor events about how many portable handwashing stations are required. The basics? If there is even one toilet, a sink is needed. At least one sink must be provided for each additional two toilets.
FenceLine Helps You Meet Sanitation Rules & Regulations
Alberta’s sanitation rules and regulations at outdoor events are important. They keep the event environment clean, prevent the spread of disease, and ensure that organizers understand their responsibilities. Familiarizing yourself with the rules is an important first step, and FenceLine Rentals Ltd. can help you put a plan in action to ensure sanitary rules and regulations are followed at your outdoor event.
We offer portable toilets and handwashing stations for rent and for purchase, as well as waste bins, disposal services and can help you come up with a recycling plan that will meet the City of Calgary’s requirements and divert as much waste as possible from the landfill.
Book our waste disposal services and porta potties for your next event.
FAQs About Event Sanitation
How do I create a waste management plan?
The City of Calgary offers numerous resources to help event organizers understand the rules and regulations surrounding waste management on their sites. FenceLine can help, too. It’s not just that we can provide bins for waste and recycling; we can also help you build a waste diversion plan with real results and can haul your waste, too. Creating a waste management plan is important work that is good for the environment and, just as importantly, will help your event run more smoothly.
Should I buy or rent portable toilets?
While there might be an argument for buying portable toilets if you run a company that uses them regularly, the reality for most event organizers is that it makes more sense to rent them. FenceLine will drop off and pick up your portable toilets on-site. We also offer flexible cleaning schedules.