Bestival announce plastic water bottle ban

Promoters for the Bestival and Camp Bestival music festivals have announced that all of their bars will now stock CanO Water in place of plastic water bottles.

CanO say they have the highest recycling rate of any drink on the market, with their recycled can back on the market in as little as 6 weeks.

The decision to stock CanO Water this year is a move towards their goal of removing all single-use plastic waste from the festivals and will see all Bestival-run bars at both Bestival and Camp Bestival retailing still and sparkling water in fully recyclable 330ml aluminium cans.

Bestival promoters already require all independent food and drink retailers on site to adhere to an environmental policy and will extend that policy to include removing all single-use plastics before 2021. In the interim, they are urging all independent onsite traders to act swiftly on single-use plastics to help reduce the events’ overall environmental impact.

Bestival and Camp Bestival curator Rob da Bank said: ‘We’re very serious about reducing the plastic waste at our festivals, which we know is a problem that needs solving.

‘We’ve already launched The Final Straw and joined the Drastic on Plastic campaign, so getting rid of plastic water bottles and using CanO Water’s 100% recyclable cans on our bars is a big step ahead in our mission.

‘We’d love for all the traders on site to be plastic free right now but we’re also realistic that can’t happen overnight.

‘Our goal is 2021 but we’re going to do as much as we can before that date and bringing in CanO Water is an important step that we’re pleased we can make this year.’

CanO Water co-founder Ariel Booker commented: ‘We’re excited to work with Bestival this summer to significantly reduce plastic waste and help the festival take steps to become even more eco-friendly.

‘Replacing plastic bottles with our infinitely recyclable cans is a big win for the environment, but a bold move from Bestival which other festivals should take notice of.’