Notting Hill Carnival: 300 Tonnes of Rubbish Cleared Overnight in Massive Clean-Up Operation
In a remarkable display of efficiency and dedication, waste crews worked tirelessly through the night over the bank holiday weekend to clean up after the Notting Hill Carnival, one of Europe’s largest street festivals. As the vibrant celebrations drew to a close, Kensington and Chelsea Council, in partnership with SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, undertook a massive clean-up operation to restore the streets of Notting Hill to their usual state.
Starting at 10 pm on both Sunday and Monday nights, a formidable team of 200 staff, supported by 30 refuse trucks, descended upon the Carnival area to tackle the staggering 300 tonnes of rubbish left behind by the nearly two million revellers. To put this into perspective, the amount of waste collected is roughly equivalent to the weight of 25 London buses. Impressively, around 30 per cent of this waste will be recycled, reflecting the Council’s commitment to sustainability even amidst the clean-up efforts.
In addition to waste collection, the Council ensured that over 1,000 compostable, chemical-free, and water-free toilets were available across the Carnival area, enhancing the environmental friendliness of the event. But the work doesn’t stop there. Waste crews will continue their efforts in the coming days, focusing on cleaning basements and removing graffiti to return the area to its pre-Carnival state.
Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith, Lead Member for Culture at Kensington and Chelsea Council, expressed his gratitude and pride in the clean-up efforts. “We are immensely proud to host Carnival in our borough and to welcome almost two million people who want to join us in celebrating Caribbean culture at Europe’s biggest community event. Clearing up when the music stops and the crowds head home is a huge task for us and our partner SUEZ, and I am grateful to the 200 unsung heroes who were out overnight on Sunday and Monday to clear hundreds of tonnes of rubbish. Their hard work means that our residents and businesses in Notting Hill woke up on Tuesday morning to find their streets restored to normal just hours after the end of this year’s Carnival.”
The Notting Hill Carnival is not only a celebration of Caribbean culture but also a testament to the community’s spirit and resilience. Kensington and Chelsea Council’s continued support, including a delivery grant of £335,000 to assist organisers in ensuring a safe event, underscores the importance of this iconic event to the borough and its residents.
As the streets return to normal and the festive remnants are cleared away, the success of this year’s Carnival is a reminder of the delicate balance between celebration and responsibility, something that Kensington and Chelsea Council has managed with expertise and care.
For more information on how you can support sustainable events in your community, visit the Keep Britain Tidy website, which offers valuable resources and advice.”
