Over 60 UK festivals commit to plastic-free by 2021

More than 60 independent music festivals across the UK have banned the use of plastic straws for this upcoming event season, with an eye to eliminating all single-use plastic by 2021.

The events are affiliated with the Association Of Independent Festivals (AIF) – and have committed to banning all plastic bar cups and drink bottles within three years as part of the ‘Drastic On Plastic’ initiative.

The move follows the ‘Final Straw’ campaign, originally launched by Bestival in January.

“It is encouraging and inspiring that so many AIF members have taken this initiative and pledged on-board without hesitation and are taking a collective stand against single-use plastic”, said AIF CEO Paul Reed.

“This is one of the most critical issues facing our businesses and wider society. By working together as an industry and taking affirmative action, we can make a tangible difference”.

The new campaign will launch on Sunday April 22 (Earth Day) and will see the websites of member festivals ‘wrapped in plastic’ for 24 hours.

These sites will feature key facts about our use of plastic, and links to resources including a UK sustainable development charity. Punters will also be able to pre-order metal water bottles from the sites.

“Unless you’ve been living on the moon, you’ll know the plastic problem is not going away”, Bestival and AIF co-founder Rob Da Bank said.

“I’m very proud that the organisation we started with five members ten years ago now boasts over 60 who have all signed up to eradicate single-use plastic in the next couple of years. This is exactly the sort of work the AIF needs to be doing – leading the global charge against essentially unnecessary plastic at all our festivals”.

Full list of participating festivals below:

2000 Trees
Ampthill Festival
ArcTanGent
Barn on the Farm
Beat-Herder Festival
Belladrum Tartan Heart
Bestival
Bloodstock
Bluedot
Boardmasters
Boomtown
Burning Lantern/Brecon Jazz
Camp Bestival
Common People
Deer Shed
Eisteddfod
El Dorado
Elderflower Fields
Electric Fields
End of the Road
Cropredy
Festival No 6
Festival of Voice
Field Day
Fire in the Mountain
Garage Nation
Greenbelt
Green Gathering
Handmade Festival
Hanwell Hootie
Heb Celt
Just So
Kendal Calling
Kew the Music
Larmer Tree
Liverpool Sound City
Lost Village
London Remixed
Magical Festival
Meltdown
Mint Street
Nozstock
Oxjam
Oxted Beer & Music
Pangaea
Pete the Monkey
Rewind Festival
Shambala
Starry Skies
Standon Calling
Strawberries & Creem
Sunflowerfest
SWN Festival
Tramlines
Truck
Twisterella
Underneath the Stars
Vicars Picnic
Victorious
Village Green
Y-Not