2023-08-29 16:11:00
From September 1, organizers of cultural, recreational, sporting, folkloric and leisure events will have to use reusable cups, announced Walloon Minister of the Environment Céline Tellier. “The objective of this measure is to reduce the mass of waste generated by plastic containers during these events and thus preserve our resources, reduce public uncleanliness and pollution in general”, specifies the Minister.
Reusable cups should be used. -HW
This provision supplements the Belgian ban on the placing on the market of disposable plastic cups, which has been in force since January 24, 2023. “Single-use plastic cups very often represent a very large mass of waste in festive events . For example, in 2019, 1.5 million single-use plastic cups were used during the Fêtes de Wallonie, representing respectively 30 tonnes of waste to be incinerated”, explains Céline Tellier in a press release.
And with us?
In the Mons-Borinage region, several events have already passed the mark (there were only reusable cups left at the Ducasse de Mons for example this year) and some for many years (such as the beer festival in Jurbise to name but one).
Read also Reusable cups during the Ducasse de Mons: “We are moving towards an external service provider for 2024”
If for smaller events and parties the change does not seem too complicated, it is another thing for big festivals like Dour.
Questioned by our colleagues from RTBF, Damien Dufrasne, organizer of the Dour Festival, does not mince his words. “We have a logistical problem. Currently, there is no firm in Belgium capable of washing so many cups in 24 hours. They need two to three days for this cleaning. And so, we would have to buy a lot more cups than necessary, to overproduce, to be sure to have enough in stock throughout the festivals. “Because of this problem, we would have to go and buy almost a million cups for the Dour festival!
Damien Dufrasne. – D.R.
Logistically, it is therefore a huge challenge. “We really need to start discussions with several companies to succeed in creating cups that are truly reusable and therefore washable within 24 hours. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense, ”comments Damien Dufrasne, who is also the president of the Federation of Wallonia-Brussels Music Festivals (FFMWB).
“We might also ensure this cleaning within the festival. But this then raises the question of hygiene and the rules in force. It would then be necessary to provide additional areas within the festival to distribute these cups and collect them. This has a logistical cost. This cost will be passed on. It will still be the festival-goer who will have to toast, ”he concludes.
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