This year Summernats signed up to Actsmart's public recycling program, an ACT government initiative that helps reduce the amount of waste from Canberra events ending up in landfill.

The free program began in 2011 as a way to induce more punters to recycle at ACT events.

It offers organisers a best practice guide, signs, bin covers and other material to help encourage more people to put their waste in the right bin.

Not only is it better for the environment, but it's also good for an event's bottom line - sending waste to a recycling centre is half the cost of sending it to the tip.

The Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate's sustainability programs senior manager Ros Malouf said it was the first time they'd worked with Summernats but she was "floored by the result".

More than eight tonnes of bottles, cans and cups and one tonne of cardboard boxes were placed in Actsmart recycling bins over the four-day car festival.

That equates to more than 300,000 bottles, cans and cups out of landfill.

"The Summernats patrons were amazing, the quality of the stuff in the bins was amazing, there was very little contamination in the recycling. They did a really, really good job," Ms Malouf said.

"I'd never been to Summernats before, it is really really hot, they are a committed group of people. Sometimes if the weather isn't great people don't do a good job of recycling, but that didn't stop them.

"Organisers worked very well with their traders to make sure what they were selling things in recyclable containers. There was great signage so the visitors could use the bins correctly."

Summernats owner Andy Lopez said he was "really happy" with the results of the trial.

"There's not doubt Summernats is a pretty big noisy and smelly event and everything we can do to minimise that footprint is really good from our end," Mr Lopez said.

"It's important to stress that all major events, we face this challenge there's all this consumable and disposable product out there when you've got trade and exhibition amd food and beverage sales."

Mr Lopez said the trial was a "really good step for us managing our waste footprint" and they planned to continue it at future events.

Actsmart recycling bins will also be at this weekend's Multicultural Festival. Last year more than 10 tonnes of recycling was diverted from landfill for the event.