Zero-Waste Sets on Remote Shoots: Real-World Hurdles?

Hey everyone,

I'm Darius, Best Boy Electric, currently on a doc series shoot in some pretty isolated areas. We're running an ALEXA Mini with a bunch of Helios Tubes and a few M18s, and the crew is awesome, but we've been talking a lot about trying to get closer to a 'zero-waste' set. It sounds great in theory, and I'm all for it.

My problem is, we're out here in the boonies. Forget composting, even basic recycling for plastics and cardboard is a pipe dream. We're generating a fair amount of trash from catering, gels, tape, consumables, batteries, you name it. We try to be mindful, like refilling water bottles and sorting what we can, but it all eventually ends up in a general dumpster that gets hauled to who-knows-where.

For those of you who've worked on truly remote gigs, what are the actual biggest logistical hurdles you've faced when trying to implement zero-waste practices, especially when local infrastructure just isn't there for things like proper composting or even reliable recycling? Is it just impossible without bringing everything back to a city?