Reading and Leeds Festivals
The main objectives of the campaign were to reduce post event waste, which goes to landfill, and to engage the audience with hands-on recycling activities.
Alupro sourced recyclers that paid per tonne for used, uncontaminated beverage cans. Community-based social enterprises were offered the recycling revenue in exchange for volunteers to run the recycling scheme.
How it worked
Collection skips were supplied by the recyclers, with mid-show replacements.
Clear collection bags were handed to every visitor, with an extra collection incentive being provided at Reading: a token for a free beer was given in exchange for every bag flled!
Static 'Recycling Exchanges' were set up at both sites (eight at Reading, five at Leeds). Stewards actively encouraged hand-over rather than just relying on visitors to use bins.
At Reading entrance source separation took place via confiscated cans and bottles.
Promotion
Campaign message was added to recycling bags, programme laminates and banners
Ads ran in the festivals' programmes, and on video screens between bands
Verbal promotion by stewards
Website pre-promotion and audience newsletters
Results
At source separation directed waste straight to the recycler
At Reading the site skip was full by Friday, necessitating a temporary holding area for the weekend! In total three skips were used, sorted to yield over three tonnes of aluminium cans and one tonne of steel.
Valuable revenue was gained, and post-event waste was dramatically reduced
Looking ahead
Such was the success of the recycling scheme that more dedicated staff will be tasked with its operation.
Sorting teams at future festivals will be enlarged to maximise revenue
Reading and Leeds will adopt the entrance separation system.
