Tomorrowland's Smart Cups Cut Single-Use Plastic Waste by 20 Million Items
Tomorrowland festival has taken a significant step towards sustainability by implementing reusable smart cups linked to its cashless system. The festival, along with other events like 'events near me' and companies, is reducing single-use plastic waste through innovative initiatives.
Tomorrowland's smart cups can be reused up to 300 times and recycled into new products at the end of their life. This has helped keep 20 million single-use items out of landfills, thanks to the festival's reverse logistics and sanitizing solutions.
At Smukfest 2025, Royal Unibrew and Faerch collaborated to provide cups made from recycled PET. These cups are made from up to 86% recycled material and can be recycled repeatedly without losing quality. Companies like Flashbay have also contributed internationally by offering reusable stainless steel drinkware, packaged in biodegradable bags to reduce environmental impact.
Staff training, visible collection points, and clear communication with guests played a crucial role in achieving a high return rate. The cups are collected, recycled, and transformed back into food-grade material for new cups or packaging. Royal Unibrew and Faerch plan to expand this circular cup system to more 'events near me' and worldwide.
To encourage cup return, the deposit for professional collectors was increased.
Tomorrowland's reusable smart cups and similar initiatives at Smukfest and by companies like Flashbay demonstrate a commitment to reducing single-use plastic waste. With a 97% return rate at Smukfest 2025, these efforts show promise for a more sustainable future in the 'events near me' industry.
