Pool Party Makes Sustainability Splash

Waste Management teamed up with Foxwoods Resort Casino’s Vice President of Hotel Operations, Christopher O’Connell, and Food and Beverage Director Jason Morgan to implement its first-ever waste reduction and recycling initiative at Foxwoods’ Liquid Sundays.

Liquid Sundays is a weekly pool party at Fox Tower that is held throughout the summer attracting approximately 550 guests each week. As a Waste Management Total Recycle Program (TRP) customer, O’Connell identified this opportunity to proactively reduce waste to TRP Manager Michelle Lee Guiney. Due to the nature of the environment, no recycling program was in place, and with all food and beverages served on disposable products, Guiney saw ample opportunity to kick off an effective sustainability initiative.

Guiney worked with Morgan on the scope of the event. Since Morgan expressed an interest in zero waste as a long-term goal, they established both waste reduction and recycling as top priorities. Recycling bins were paired with waste bins throughout public areas and service bars, with a plan for servicing and maintaining the recycling bins both during and after the event.

For waste reduction, Waste Management reusable cups were introduced and posters on display encouraged guests to go “straw-less,” although compostable straws were made available. Educational signage was also posted informing guests about this new waste reduction initiative.

Guiney worked with Waste Management Account Manager Tom Henry who was instrumental in setting up and distributing giveaways to guests during the event. Foxwoods’ team were exceptionally responsive and expressed great support. “I am glad we’ve started recycling at the pool – its long overdue. We are working together and will eventually get to 100 percent zero waste as things fall in place,” explains Morgan.

It is a great initial effort toward achieving zero waste, and Waste Management thanks Foxwoods Resort Casino for the opportunity to support its sustainability mission.

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Foxwoods Resort Casino partnered with Waste Management to initiate a sustainably fun zero-waste program at Foxwoods’ Liquid Sundays – a weekly pool party at Fox Tower attended by hundreds of guests.