Reading and Leeds, Latitude, Download and Wireless festivals to go plastic-free

The British music festivals Reading and Leeds, Wireless and Download will go plastic-free after global concert promoter Live Nation pledged to eliminate single-use plastics from its venues and events by 2021. The plan forms part of the world’s largest concert promoter’s push to achieve zero waste at its sites by 2030.

“Hosting over 35,000 concerts and festivals each year, Live Nation has the opportunity and responsibility to provide our artists and fans with a live music experience that protects our planet,” said Michael Rapino, president of Live Nation Entertainment.

“The adverse effects of climate change are undeniable, and we want to use our place on the world stage to be part of the solution. Together our concerts, venues, festivals and offices around the world are setting new sustainability standards for live events.”

The plan will affect Live Nation’s UK festivals, including Wilderness, Electric Picnic, Parklife and the Great Escape, in addition to venues including London’s Brixton Academy and Glasgow’s King Tut’s.

The company is the latest live-music promoter to take measures to address the climate emergency. Single-use plastic water bottles will not be available at this year’s Glastonbury after festival-goers got through 1.3m of them at the 2017 festival.

Related: 414 million pieces of plastic found on remote island group in Indian Ocean

In 2018, the Association of Independent Festivals launched the Drastic on Plastic campaign, in which its 61 members pledged to remove single-use plastics from their sites by 2021. AIF has also spearheaded a campaign encouraging festival-goers to take their tents home, and urging retailers such as Argos and Tesco not to market tents as single-use items.

The initiatives mirror government plans to introduce new restrictions on the availability of single-use plastic items from 2020 in a bid to limit pollution of the oceans. Plastic drinks stirrers will be banned from sale, and the sale and availability of plastic straws will be restricted.