The group teamed with Keep Bermuda Beautiful, Bermuda College volunteers and the Department of Waste Management to sift through the waste that accumulated at the event.
The conclusion, from Greenrock President Judith Landsberg: "One of Bermuda's challenges remains how best to manage material waste. Whilst waste recycling is commonplace in countries that have industrial capabilities, Bermuda's options are relatively limited. Currently the Bermuda Government's goal is to separate tin and aluminium to be shipped to the US; crush glass into useful aggregate. and burn whatever is left in our incinerator."
Discarded trash at the site of this year’s Bermuda Rugby Classic event.
Waste audits show "room for improvement" when it comes to separation, she said.
"As a result, material that needs to be placed in the incinerator is being sent to the Waste Separation Plant and vice versa."
It took volunteers three days to dig through the bags of trash, with more than 700kg of waste sorted.
The group recommended that event management licences should include incentives, and perhaps fines, to ensure adequate recycling.
Students could earn community service hours by helping to clean up after events, Dr Landsberg added, or paid workers could gather aluminium waste at big events.
The group said better bins and labelling of recycling areas ought to improve matters, but added: "Incentives still need to be in place for the organisers to get it right."
