Summit County businesses launch Zero Waste Event Resource Guide

A coalition of Summit County organizations, including Deer Valley Resort, Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, Summit County, Park City Municipal, Park City Community Foundation and Recycle Utah, have announced the completion of a Zero Waste Event Resource Guide.

The first-of-its-kind tool is designed to help event organizers throughout Summit County meaningfully reduce waste, improve recycling, and divert food waste at special events.

"Special events are a vital part of what makes Park City and Summit County such a vibrant destination, and they're also an opportunity to demonstrate our shared values around sustainability," said Morgan Mingle, sustainable tourism director at the Park City Chamber/Bureau, in a release.

The guide, which was initiated by Deer Valley Resort and made possible through a Sustainable Tourism Grant from the Park City Chamber/Bureau, offers practical, actionable guidance for event planners at all scales. It covers steps related to waste stream evaluation, waste station setup, material and signage best practices, vendor procurement guidelines, volunteer training, communication strategies, and measurement frameworks to track progress over time.

"As Deer Valley explored ways to strengthen waste diversion efforts at events across the resort, we recognized a broader inconsistency in how waste diversion is approached at local events," said Hannah Tyler, Vice president of resort planning at Deer Valley Resort, in a release. "We saw an opportunity not only to improve our own practices, but also to create a practical resource for the community by using our events as a case study."

Deer Valley engaged Honeycomb Strategies, a sustainability consulting firm, to lead the development of the plan. In 2025, Honeycomb Strategies attended two signature events at Deer Valley — the FIS Ski World Cup and Beer Fest — to establish a baseline for waste diversion at the resort and identify opportunities for improvement. The firm also engaged the city, county, Recycle Utah and Park City Community Foundation's Zero Food Waste team to understand how waste diversion is currently considered across a wide range of events in Summit County.

Event organizers can access resources and guidance for Zero Waste Events from the following:

- Recycle Utah: Borrow zero waste station bins and signage. - Green Business Program: Provide hands-on support for events in implementing the guides recommendations, including help certifying events as green events.

The Zero Waste Event Resource Guide is now available to event organizers throughout Summit County. To access the resource guide, visit parkcitychamber.com/events/.