Sanem: mandatory Green Events standard for all municipal events

One municipality that made zero waste non-negotiable

The municipality of Sanem requires every public event hosted on municipal premises to meet Green Events standards: eliminating single-use packaging at source. The municipality provides event organisers with guidance, reusable dishware, and logistical support, making compliance straightforward rather than burdensome.

What Sanem's mandatory standard means in practice

• All events on municipal land must submit a sustainability plan and use reusable or approved alternatives
• The municipality acts as a service provider, not just a regulator: it lends dishware and connects organisers with the dishwashing facility
• Enforcement is paired with support: no organiser is left without a practical reuse option
• Other Luxembourg municipalities are now looking to Sanem as a model to adopt in their own event policies

How to engage

• Sanem residents and organisations: contact the municipality to use the reusable dishware service for your event
• Other Luxembourg municipalities: contact Oekozenter Pafendall to learn how to adopt a similar mandatory standard
• Event organisers across Luxembourg: ask your municipality whether it will follow Sanem's lead

Why it matters

Voluntary standards work until they don't. Sanem's mandatory approach removes the competitive disadvantage for organisers who want to go zero waste: everyone operates on the same terms. This is the policy design that makes reuse economically rational.

Source & repost

Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it.

• Lead: Municipality of Sanem + Oekozenter Pafendall (OEKO)
• Report chapter: ZWE State of Zero Waste Municipalities, 5th edition