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Sustainability

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

As set out in our Green Nation Sustainability Charter, we recognise our responsibility to preserve the live music experience for generations to come and have a tremendous opportunity to inspire climate action at Electric Picnic.

We acknowledge the impact that the festival has on the environment, are committed both to telling the truth about the scale of the climate and ecological emergency, and to taking urgent action. Electric Picnic’s environmental impact comes primarily from the transport taken to the festival the energy required to power it, alongside the waste generated, water used, food and drink consumed, and the overall effect of the festival on the flora and fauna of the site. Each of these impact areas have been assessed in the context of their impact on, and the contribution to reaching the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Our commitment towards reducing Electric Picnic’s environmental impact has been assessed by Julie’s Bicycle, a not-for-profit organisation working on sustainability within the creative industries, as part of their Creative Green certification. In 2019 we achieved an incredible 5/ 5 stars, thank you to everyone who helped us achieve it. Although this programme has come to an end, we haven’t stopped striving to do better!

We are also proud to be one of the Vision: 2025 Festival’s committed to reducing our carbon emissions. You can read more about the Vision: 2025 pledge here.

THREE BIN SYSTEM

Electric Picnic is a zero waste to landfill festival.

We run a three-bin system at the festival, which means every bin station in the Main Arena will comprise of 3 bins:

 

COMPOSTABLE – When you buy food from the traders, everything your food comes in is compostable so plates, cutlery and napkins can be placed in the compost bins along with the food scraps. Please make sure no plastic goes into the compost.

RECYCLABLE – Plastic bottles & cups, aluminium cans, newspapers, magazines and clean and dry cardboard (no used greasy pizza boxes as these do not recycle).

NOT RECYCLABLE – There should be minimal left over that goes into Not Recyclable bin – eg; crisp packets, wrappers, used foil, and wet wipes.

ZERO WASTE RECYCLING

ZERO WASTE CAMPSITES
Recycling points will be in place in each of the campsites allowing festivalgoers to separate their waste into the categories of Compostable, Recyclable, and Not Recyclable waste, as in previous years. Please join us again in helping clean up our own environment, spread the word of separation-education and help keep our fields cleaner each year!

CAMPSITE RECYCLING CHAMPIONS

Bring as many recyclable or salvageable items to the recycling points and for a chance to win Picnic prizes.

Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes are made of a mixed compound of materials which make them very difficult to recycle and hazardous to the environment if not disposed of correctly. Electric Picnic has taken the decision to add Single Use Disposable Vapes to the list of prohibited items, in order to protect the land the festival site is on.

TAKE YOUR TENT HOME

Please help us to make a change when it comes to tent waste, say no to single-use & reuse your tent!

  • Buy a durable tent that you can use again each year, it will save you money in the long run. It is expected that you take your tent, and all other belongings home with you when leaving the festival.
  • If you have any broken tents, chairs, gazebos and empty batteries, please place them in the not recycling section of the recycling stations. Unopened tins of food can be donated at the campsite hubs.
  • If you need help finding your nearest recycling, please ask a member of staff. If you wish to donate your tent, pack it up and take it to your local charity shop, if you leave it in the field it will end up being incinerated.

WE HAVE LOTS OF POPULAR OPTIONS IN PLACE TO MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU TO REDUCE YOUR WASTE FOOTPRINT:

Consider pre-pitched options, or our dedicated Eco Campsites:

  • Be Your Environment Eco Campsite
  • Pink Moon
  • Harvest Moon

Say no to single-use & reuse your tent! Buy a durable tent that you can use again each year, it will save you money in the long run.

WE HAVE LOTS OF POPULAR OPTIONS IN PLACE TO MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU TO REDUCE YOUR WASTE FOOTPRINT:

Consider pre-pitched options, or our dedicated Eco Campsites:

  • Be Your Environment Eco Campsite
  • Greta’s Campsite
  • Pink Moon
  • Harvest Moon

LIMIT WHAT YOU BRING

Pack light, you really don’t need to bring the kitchen sink, remember that everything you bring, you need to take home again. You will be thankful on Monday as it will only take you 5 minutes to pack up the place you’ve called home for the past few days.

REDUCING AIR POLLUTION

To help reduce carbon emissions and air pollution at Electric Picnic we will be using a % of biodiesel fuel in our generators, made from waste vegetable oil. This fuel reports to have 50% less particulate matter, 22% less Nitrous Oxide, 60% less carbon monoxide – which are all dangerous chemicals that contribute to air pollution.

 

TRAVEL WISELY

The emissions from travelling to and from the festival contribute up to a large amount of the event’s total generated emissions. You could save money, make friends and go green by travelling by bus or train, bike, or arranging to share a lift.

DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEMES

CUP AND BOTTLE DEPOSITS (ARENA ONLY)
Due to the problems that plastic waste causes to the environment and to support Ireland’s circular economy, all plastic bottles and cups sold at the Festival will have a deposit, so we can make sure they get recycled.
Deposits can be redeemed at our dedicated refund points located next to the main bars.

EVERY CAN COUNTS

BAG OF CANS (CAMPSITE ONLY)

Taking a full recycled bag of empty drinks cans to Every Can Counts could win you great prizes at Electric Picnic. They will be playing games and giving away goodies all to encourage campers to recycle their full bags of cans.

Each drink can recycled saves 95% of the energy used to make a can from new materials, so not only can you win big, but you can save big too! Look out for the can backpack recyclers who will be hitting the campsites to help you recycle and win.

SINGLE USE PLASTIC

We are working hard to eliminate single use plastics at Electric Picnic. Here are some of the steps we’ve been taking, please work with us and dispose
of the plastic on site responsibly:

  • We have banned the use of single use plastic cutlery and non-compostable serve ware since 2015.
  • All cups sold and bottles sold in the arena will have a 10c deposit included in the price which you can redeem at the refund points in the arena.
  • You are welcome to bring a refillable bottle with you to refill at the arena and campsite drinking water stations.
  • All of our cups and bottles are made from recycled plastic (rPET), which supports the Irish recycling industry.
  • Please minimise the plastic you bring and we ask that you don’t bring single use plastic into the arena.

DRINKING WATER STATIONS

Please refill your water bottles at the taps provided. Electric Picnic branded refillable water bottles are available to buy at the merch stalls also! Join the #RefillRevolution #BYOBottle

 

FOOD TRADERS

We operate very strict packaging protocols and all food packaging on our site MUST be compostable. Every single one of our traders use fully compostable serve ware. Plastic and non-biodegradable straws are also prohibited.

 

GLITTER POLICY

Standard glitter is made from etched aluminium bonded to polyethylene terephthalate – a form of microplastic that can find its way into the oceans and pose a danger to people and animals. Bioglitter is only 92% plastic free so we ask everyone to use alternatives such as paints, reusable gems, flower petals, edible glitter.

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