Glastonbury 2019 set to be free of plastic waste

Glastonbury organisers have announced plans to ban the sale of plastic bottles when the festival returns to Somerset later this year.

Whilst ticketholders will not be barred from bringing plastics on-site, organisers have confirmed plans to encourage the use of refillable water bottles by increasing the number of free Water Aid stands. Artist areas (from dressing rooms to catering and production) will not be exempt either.

In a statement, festival curator Emily Eavis said “It’s paramount for our planet that we all reduce our plastic consumption, and I’m thrilled that, together, we’ll be able to prevent over a million single-use plastic bottles from being used at this year’s festival…. I really hope that everyone – from ticket-holder to headliner – will leave Worthy Farm this year knowing that even small, everyday changes can make a real difference. It’s now or never.”

In place of the plastic, water and soft drinks will now be available to purchase in recyclable cans from food and drink traders on-site.

Glastonbury 2017 saw over 1.3million plastic bottles discarded across Worthy Farm, and the latest announcement follows on from previous years which has seen the site ban plastic cutlery and plates from food traders, in place for compostable materials.

Glastonbury Festival runs from 26-30th June.