TOMRA Collection's successful recycling initiatives at summer festivals
TOMRA Collection has played a key role in promoting recycling at summer festivals across Europe, turning these large gatherings into opportunities for environmental progress. These festivals, which attract thousands of young people, often result in significant amounts of beverage consumption and waste. TOMRA Collection’s active participation has helped mitigate this issue by integrating reverse vending machines (RVMs) into the festival ecosystem.
To ensure the successful collection and recycling of empty packaging, TOMRA's fast, reliable, and user-friendly RVMs were strategically placed at key locations within festivals in Serbia, Germany, Ireland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. By making the return process for empty beverage containers simple and enjoyable, TOMRA aimed to increase participation in recycling.
From burgers to music in Serbia
During European summer season, TOMRA Collection Serbia partnered with several major festivals, such as the EXIT festival in Novi Sad, Arsenal Fest in Kragujevac, Burger Fest in Belgrade, Lovefest in Vrnjačka Banja, and the Festival of Healthy Spirit in Ovčar Banja. These partnerships demonstrate the essential need to manage the high volumes of waste generated at such events.
At the EXIT festival, TOMRA Collection Serbia collaborated with partners like Ball Corporation, Heineken, Coca-Cola, Ekostar Pak, and Solagro Smart Recycling under the Green Exit platform. With the help of 35 promoters and a TOMRA M1 reverse vending machine, half a ton of empty beverage packaging was collected over four days, amounting to over 40,000 containers sent for recycling. This was a significant increase from the previous year, largely driven by a reward system where every five pieces of collected packaging earned a free drink.
Jelena Petljanski, Sustainability and Public Affairs Manager for Central, Eastern Europe, and Turkey at Ball Corporation echoed the positive trend of increased recycling:
"We believe that used packaging represents a resource, not waste, and therefore advocate for its proper disposal. This year about 15,000 used beverage cans were collected, a 30% increase from last year and a 300% increase compared to 2022, which proved a great success. This confirms that we are contributing to environmental protection and proving that it is possible to operate in line with the principles of circularity."At Arsenal Fest in Kragujevac, the TOMRA S1 machine became key part of the festival, thanks to its simplicity and effective collaboration with partners. Bojana Milašinović, Managing Director, TOMRA Collection Serbia and Montenegro, highlighted the importance of their presence at such events:
We are especially pleased when we can be present at festivals as ambassadors and promote the importance of recycling and waste reduction, ensuring containers are collected responsibly, rather than ending up in streets, rivers, oceans, or landfills".
The effectiveness of TOMRA's initiatives extended to sports-based festivals such as the Belgrade Marathon and the Festival of Healthy Spirit in Ovčar Banja. The presence of reverse vending machines at these events facilitated the collection of empty beverage packaging, promoting sustainability among participants.
Film festival in Sarajevo
Through the support of our distributor in Bosnia and Herzegovina, TOMRA Collection was present during the Youth Film Festival (OFF) in Sarajevo. OFF 2024 was committed to raising environmental awareness by incorporating TOMRA reverse vending machines at the event. The collaboration aimed to encourage society to adopt better recycling habits.
The initiative provided festivalgoers with the opportunity to dispose of their used plastic bottles and cans in a simple and responsible way. To motivate participation, people were rewarded for their efforts in recycling and in environmental protection. The collected bottles and cans were taken for recycling in cooperation with EKOPAK, the operator of the packaging waste management system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to be used as a resource in the circular economy.
TOMRA Collection Ireland joined the Electric Picnic 2024
Since its inception in 2004, Electric Picnic has grown into Ireland’s premier arts-and-music festival, held annually in Stradbally, County Laois. This vibrant event, organized by Pod Concerts and Festival Republic, has garnered numerous accolades, including the 'Best Medium-Sized European Festival' and 'Best Big Festival' awards, solidifying its status as a must-visit on the festival circuit.In line with Electric Picnic’s emphasis on eco-friendly initiatives, TOMRA Collection Ireland was on-site to promote and facilitate recycling and sustainability. With six TOMRA T70 Single machines, our presence at the festival underscores our commitment to creating a greener future by encouraging festival-goers to recycle and reduce waste.
Electric Picnic is not only one of the most significant and beloved festivals in Ireland, but it also sets a benchmark for sustainability in large-scale events. Implementing a robust recycling system at such a prominent festival is crucial for reducing waste and promoting good practices among attendees. At TOMRA Collection Ireland, we are excited to contribute to Electric Picnic's initiatives, helping to ensure that the festival remains a leader in environmental stewardship while providing an unforgettable experience for all"
The fastest reverse vending machines on festival grounds
July marks one of the main festival months in Germany. Two of the major festivals took place on the same weekend – the Parookaville festival with over 225,000 visitors and the Deichbrand festival with over 60,000 visitors. Both festivals offer camping grounds and own festival supermarkets which calls for a lot of empty beverage containers. German retail customers wanted to provide their visitors with the fastest, most convenient and mess-free solution possible and chose the TOMRA R1 multi-feed solution. Visitors appreciated the innovative solution that made their festival life easier and more convenient when returning their empty beverage containers.
“This should be the standard at all festivals. I usually never return my empties but it’s so easy here, I actually like it” - festival visitor, Deichbrand festivalTOMRA Collection Germany is currently working on multi-feed solutions for festivals in the upcoming years to facilitate the collection of used beverage containers.
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The conclusion from this summer’s festivals is clear: these events provide an excellent opportunity for education and recycling, bringing the concept of circularity closer to the wider public. Young people have shown a positive attitude towards protecting the environment, with reward systems proving highly effective in motivating them to recycle. Thanks to good partnerships and organization collaboration, this year's summer festivals are helping transform waste into a valuable resource.
