Description
Each year the N.C. State Fair is held in Raleigh, N.C., and is host to nearly 800,000 people during the 12-day event run. The fair is subject to a variety of demographics from across the state and thus recycling efforts must be designed in a way that facilitates outreach to various subsets of the population. The fair has successfully implemented a recycling program which started in 2008 and will adopt further sustainability and recycling initiatives for upcoming state fair events.

Implementation
Four recycling stations were distributed across the site with a total volunteer staff of more than 200 individuals throughout the duration of the fair. Twenty brightly-colored corrugated plastic bins were placed throughout the fairgrounds which encouraged patrons to recycle. Volunteers facilitated fairgoers’ recycling and made every attempt to alleviate any cross-contamination.

The bins used were well-suited for plastic and aluminum; however, heavier items, such as steel, were less ideal for these receptacles. The original set-up had four recycling bins per station but as the fair progressed the bins were spaced outand allocated to areas with higher densities of recyclable materials. Bins were also located next to all exits, midways, inside buildings and near restrooms and vendors. Material was collected commingled. Each evening third-shift staff would empty the recyclables into another container where they were held until enough was collected for their hauler to transport.

Results
The 2008 State Fair recycled 1.54 tons of plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Additionally, the fairgrounds composted 300-400 tons of manure from the livestock pens and sent 7,500 gallons of fryer grease to a local biodiesel conversion facility. The State Fair hopes to resume these initiatives during future fairs.