World’s largest concert promoter says UK festivals to go plastic-free

Festival goer dances with drink in hand.
Festival goer dances with drink in hand.
By Maeve Campbell
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The top British festivals and venues leading the way to a more sustainable entertainment industry.

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Following a recent announcement from concert promoter, Live Nation, top festivals and venues around the UK are ‘setting new sustainability standards’ by eradicating single-use plastics by 2021. Live Nation has announced that this is only phase one of a more long-term plan to make all their venues, clubs and concert halls zero-waste by 2030.

A trend seems to be emerging in the world of live entertainment, as British venues acknowledge their immense responsibility to both cut down on plastics and recycle the colossal amount of waste their events generate. The good news comes after Glastonbury announced their ban on plastic bottles just this year and Bestival, Boardmasters and Kendall Calling were among 61 festivals to sign up to the 'drastic on plastic' initiative last year.

Drinks with straws

Which UK festivals are eliminating plastic?

Live Nation are in charge of a whole host of smaller, boutique festivals around the UK, as well as the main competitors. But the main festivals that will be going plastic-free from 2021 are Reading and Leeds, Wireless, Latitude and Download.

These are some examples of the items that will no longer be permitted for use:

- Plastic drinks bottles

- Plastic straws

- Glitter

- Plastic food trays

- Cable ties

- Toiletry bottles (hand-wash, shower gel, etc)

Michael Rapino, the president of Live Nation Entertainment said in a statement,

"Hosting over 35,000 concerts and festivals each year, Live Nation has the opportunity and responsibility to provide our artists and fans with a live music experience that protects our planet. The adverse effects of climate change are undeniable, and we want to use our place on the world stage to be part of the solution. Together our concerts, venues, festivals, and offices around the world are setting new sustainability standards for live events."

Crowd going wild at a festival

Live Nation has also called upon large retailers such as Tesco and Argos to stop marketing single-use tents that end up being abandoned and contribute to 875 tonnes of plastic waste every summer. Recyclable, long-lasting tents are much more sustainable for the environment.

Plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds are soon to be a thing of the past in England as a whole, following a ban announced by the government just this week.

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