Glastonbury festival is to implement a site-wide ban on plastic bottles when it returns in 2019. “It’s an enormous project; it’s taking a lot of time to tackle with all the different people we work with,” organiser Emily Eavis told BBC 6 Music.
In 2014, Glastonbury introduced environmentally friendly stainless steel bottles and water kiosks for the cost-free refill of any kind of receptacle, followed in 2016 by stainless steel pint cups designed to be “non-aerodynamic, to minimise injuries from throwing”. Use of these containers was optional.
Glastonbury organisers have previously estimated that 1m plastic bottles are used during the event.
In 2016, the festival implemented its “Love the farm … leave no trace” initiative, asking punters to share transport to the festival, limit litter, recycle, refill water bottles and not to abandon their tents or urinate on the land. However, that year’s clean-up was thought to be one of the worst in its history, lasting more than two weeks after the end of the event.
