In a positive step for Queenstown’s event scene, Ayrburn’s 2026 series including the Ayrburn Car Classic, Carl Cox, and The Dudes has achieved an average of 80% diversion from landfill. This means that four-fifths of the waste generated at these popular gatherings was kept out of dumpsites through recycling, composting, or other reuse methods, rather than being buried and forgotten.

 

Diversion from landfill is a straightforward concept: It’s about redirecting rubbish away from permanent disposal sites to give materials a second life. For events drawing large crowds, this can involve sorting items like cans, bottles, food scraps, and packaging on-site to ensure they’re disposed of properly. At Ayrburn, this effort prevented a significant amount of waste from adding to the region’s environmental load, showing how practical changes can make a real difference.

 

Key to this success has been the involvement of Without Waste, a local Queenstown business known as WOW, which specialises in helping organisers reduce and manage waste effectively. WOW works closely with event managers to create tailored plans that decrease environmental impact over time. 

 

Their partnership with Ayrburn started in 2025, shortly after WOW opened their Queenstown operations, and has grown steadily. In this first year, the Carl Cox event reached 76% diversion through careful on-site sorting. By 2026, that figure rose to 81%, thanks to additions like a reusable cup trial. They have taken a stronger focus on preventing waste before it even occurs such as encouraging attendees and vendors to think twice about what they bring or discard.
Kate Gislason, Director of WOW, highlights the importance of local teamwork in these initiatives. “Working in Queenstown means understanding our unique environment and community needs,” she says. “We’re all in this together, building progress step by step toward zero waste. It’s about starting with what’s achievable today like better sorting and planning and layering on improvements each year to create lasting habits that benefit everyone here.”

 

Ayrburn’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond these events into their everyday operations, aligning with broader goals to respect the stunning natural surroundings that draw people to the area.
“We’re proud to partner with local experts like WOW to ensure our events contribute positively to the community and environment,” says Ayrburn’s Operations Manager, Loren McCauley.