As a member of the Green Deal Circular Festivals (GDCF), we have been very focused on circularity since 2019. What does it mean to be a circular and climate neutral event? The model developed by defining what circularity and climate neutrality mean for materials: 

 

We need to fundamentally change the way we use materials at our festivals, in line with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s widely used model for a circular economy. That means limiting non-renewable resources and materials, keeping materials in circulation, and ‘designing out’ waste. On our journey toward the highest level of circularity, recycling and reuse are important intermediate steps. 

 In a nutshell, materials management covers three key stages of event planning and delivery:

1.  Procurement - before the event

2.  Material use and management - during the event

3.  End of Life - after the event (AKA waste management) 

 

Materials Policy: The key to successful and effective Materials Management

 

A Materials Policy sets out for all stakeholders the materials that can be purchased or brought onto a site and therefore determines the effectiveness of onsite systems such as recycling. I find it amazing that this isn't (in my experience) common practice amongst event organisers or site managers. Many events have a procurement policy for their own company purchasing, but few have taken this extra step to take control materials, (or even influence materials as first steps by providing  guidance.

The policy should be short, clear and use accessible language, so all stakeholders can easily understand and engage. It must be communicated to all stakeholders and be enforced. Many [larger] organisations will also have a detailed Materials Checklist (see template provided as part of this pack) and procurement policy.

 

The Bigger Picture: our GDCF Model

The GDCF Model translates the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s circular-economy principles to our world of stages and mud. In the Materials theme it sets two horizons:

 

 

The ‘Ultimate Goal’ in the GDCF Model
 

Ultimately, all materials acquired and disposed of by the festival organization and by suppliers, including (but not necessarily limited to): 1) building & production materials, 2) catering serving materials, and 3) other materials provided to the visitors (incl. campsite materials), are:  

 

• Reduced to a minimum, by rethinking the production and considering alternative design and materials, to prevent the need to acquire non-renewable and scarce materials. 
• Result in zero residual waste, by keeping in circulation materials, aiming for the highest levels of circularity, preferably by refusing, reducing, and reusing materials, and else by recycling on the highest possible level. Zero waste is sent to landfills.
• The use of single-use plastics is eliminated, with any unavoidable plastic being recycled
• All new materials come from renewable resources, such as biobased materials or recycled materials. The use of fossil and scarce natural resources is eliminated.

‘First Base Targets’

Compared to the ‘ultimate goal’, the following targets may be realized already or a shorter term: 

 

• Festivals start with limiting the need to purchase non-renewable and scarce materials, by optimizing the design and use of materials, starting with 1) building & production materials, 2) catering serving materials, and 3) other materials brought in by the visitors (incl. campsite materials). The use of virgin materials is minimized as far as possible.
• All materials purchased for the festival are preferably reused or minimally recycled or composted. Residual waste is minimized as far as possible. 
• The use of single-use plastics is eliminated, with any unavoidable plastic being recycled to a high standard.
• All new materials purchased by the festival organization are produced by renewable resources, preventing the use of fossil and scarce materials. With suppliers, steps are being made to ultimately follow this example.
• All unavoidable emissions in Scope 3 are balanced following the guidelines in this document. 

 

Important first steps to take
 

• Plan resource & waste management based on the R-ladder. 
• Create a procurement or materials policy based on the R-ladder.
• Eliminate single use products and materials and replace single use products and materials that cannot be eliminated by reusable alternatives.
• Measure the amount of ‘end of life’ materials and balance the unavoidable emissions. 

 

I hope that the templates that we have developed as part of the GDCF program are useful, and thanks to the festivals that have contributed their policies as inspiration - this shows that there really isn't one way to do this. A 10-line policy and a one-page checklist won’t make your festival circular overnight, but they will turn hundreds of purchasing decisions, artist riders, and vendor orders into one coherent system.

 

Download the free templates here:

 

• Circular Materials Policy - Template
• Materials Policy Checklist - Template

 

These resources have been adapted [with permission] from the Sustainable Materials & Waste Management Toolkit for Festivals © 2024 by Vision for Sustainable Events (C/O Julie’s Bicycle), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

 

More Resources and Tools 

These are intended for your organisation and for sharing with stakeholders in your policy and communications:

• Green Deal Circular Festivals toolbox – Materials  
• Sustainable Materials and Waste Management Toolkit (Vision for Sustainable Events, UK)
• European Festival Roadmap (Yourope, EU)
• Article: Smarter Sourcing explained: How to buy supplies for a circular festival 

Inspiration from Green Deal Circular Festival GDCF members:

• Circular Materials Decision-making tree (ITGWO, NL)
• Examples of procurement policies from Boom, ESNS, Shambala, DGTL and Oya festival