Tomorrowland will not utilize reusable cups throughout most of its main festival grounds this year and festival organizers are still using disposable cups. By refusing to comply with the laws in the Belgian region of Flanders regarding reusable materials at events, Tomorrowland may face up to a €2 million fine. In addition to that, the festival also did not receive an exemption from using reusable cups as well. Flanders’ laws involving the serving of drinks in reusable materials have been in effect since June of last year. The 2023 edition of Tomorrowland received an exemption because it still had disposable cups in stock.
For this year, Tomorrowland would have received an exemption is if the festival organizers could have proved that the reusable cups would not benefit them exclusively in an environmental situation. According to the Belgian News Agency, Flemish Environment minister Zuhal Demir refused to grant the exemption three times, stating that the festival “had not provided enough evidence”. The minister then stated, “Tomorrowland is a fantastic festival that is also a small multinational. With a name like that, you should be a champion of good environmental policy”.
What is next for Tomorrowland after the potential risk of a €2 million fine
Finally, the festival organizers have decided that they will utilize the reusable cups backstage and in VIP areas. However, they also stated it is “not feasible” to have the reusable cups through the whole festival grounds. As mentioned prior, the festival may still face that €2 million fine. Tomorrowland spokeswoman Debby Willemsen told Belgian newspaper De Tijd, “We were hoping to get another exemption because we had argued our case well. When that didn’t happen, it was too late to change our plans. We are now waiting for the invoice”.
