For many, summer vacation is synonymous with camping. Feeling free, relaxed and being close to nature; the sea, a lake or excellent hiking trails in the forest or in the mountains. It is peak season for the camping business, but where a lot of tourists gather at one spot, waste management is a challenge. To deal with the waste streams camping sites benefit from waste separation and compaction solutions.
Common waste challenges at campsites
- Fluctuating Demand: Unprecedented booms in visitor numbers mean that many campsite operators are unprepared for the sudden rush of visitors and it puts a strain on the waste handling at hand.
- Many facilities on site generate waste: A large camping often has many facilities onsite: restaurants, cafés, supermarkets, cabins generating empty packaging materials and there will be mixed cleaning and kitchen waste.
- Camper Non-Compliance: Despite the availability of bins and sorting systems, waste separation may not be a priority for campers on vacation.
- Wildlife Interference: Poorly managed or improperly secured waste attracts scavengers, which can be a nuisance or immediate threat for both humans and pets.
- Lack of Infrastructure: Remote or eco-tourism campsites may lack resources or space for extensive waste treatment and the logistics collecting the waste and the recyclables can be complex and expensive.
Diverse waste streams
Campsites handle several primary waste streams, primarily driven by food preparation, shelter, and hygiene. When looking at solid waste it includes recyclables such as cardboard boxes, paper, plastics, PET bottles, metals and glass but also disposable cookware, general waste, litter and organic waste (food scraps).
Camp Šimuni, Croatia, solves waste challenge with Orwak compaction solutions
Camping Village Šimuni is a large, highly rated holiday resort and campsite on the island Pag in Croatia. With direct access to six beaches and surround by pine and oak forest, it is a popular holiday destination and offers mobile homes and camping pitches and water sports. Among the facilities there is an onsite restaurant, a beachside pizzeria, a daily fish market and a supermarket.
Interzero, Orwak’s representative in Croatia, successfully installed a comprehensive waste management solution at Camp Šimuni. It is a combination of Orwak’s in-bin compactor FLEX 1100 for bagged mixed waste and the top loaded vertical baler Multi 9020S with 3 chambers for recyclables. It allows flexible management of different waste, which is an especially important feature in seasonally intensive tourist environments such as campsites.
Camp Šimuni is happy with the new waste solution and the immediate results:
- Significant reduction in the volume of waste already at the point of origin
- Fewer collections and lower operating costs
- More orderly and controlled collection of different waste fractions
- Greater work efficiency for the staff
- Supporting ESG goals and sustainable business