Pilot scheme banning single-use plastic at venues has launched in Belfast
Reusable cups will be used, aiming to stop wastage of two million single-use plastic cups every year in many of Belfast’s venues
A Belfast nightclub is among a number of venues in the city trialling a single-use plastic ban.
Reusable cups are set to replace the two million single-use plastic cups used every year across Belfast’s gig and entertainment venues.
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According to The Irish News, the independent music and clubbing venue Voodoo is among places that are taking part in this month’s new scheme, with more major and grassroots venues lined up for the next phase.
Ulster Hall, The Waterfront Hall, The SSE Arena, Oh Yeah Centre, Black Box and The MAC also plan to roll out reusables within the next month.
The initiative, reportedly the first multi-venue scheme of its type in Ireland and the UK, is part of 12-month pilot led by the Venue Sustainability Forum and supported by Visit Belfast. It aims to remove 40 tons of plastic waste per year from Belfast nights out.
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The plan is for North Down Marquees, an event supply company, to deliver reusable cups to venues and collect used ones to be washed in a central washing facility and later redistributed.
According to PA News, the CEO of the Oh Yeah Centre, Charlotte Dryden, said: “As a grassroots music venue, sustainability is at the top of not just our organisation’s agenda but also our community’s agenda.”
The Group Head of Food and Beverage at The Odyssey Trust, Dermot McGinn, said: "We are committed to providing customers with the best experience every time, while also minimising our environmental impact wherever possible.”
He added: "We are pleased to work alongside other forward-thinking venues to tackle single-use plastic waste and support a more sustainable future for entertainment in Northern Ireland."
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Iain Bell, Acting Chief Executive of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall said: “The switch from glass to plastic remains an important health and safety concern for gigs and entertainment venues, so this is a very positive step towards a solution which addresses both safety and sustainability.”
Henrietta Taylor is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter