Officials from the Flemish environment department are drawing up an official report about the Tomorrowland dance festival. The organisers insisted on using disposable beer cups this year, while since June last year only reusable cups are allowed. Tomorrowland organisers risk a fine of 2 million euros on account of an environmental offence.
No reusable cups at Tomorrowland: organisers risk million-euro fine and more
Colin Clapson
Published:
During the 2 Tomorrowland festival weekends in Boom (Antwerp Province), officials from the environment department carried out checks. Both last Friday and on Saturday 20 July, they found that disposable cups were still being used across the festival site, the department says.
Earlier the dance festival organisers announced that Tomorrowland, as the only summer festival in Belgium, would stick with disposable cups this year.
Since June 2023, drinks at events may only be served in reusable cups. Last year was a year of transition: events could still use disposable cups from their stocks.
This year, an exception to the rule is only possible if the organisation can prove that reusable cups would not bring any environmental benefit. Tomorrowland applied for that exception, but it was refused.
Environmental crime
Tomorrowland still using disposable cups this year boils down to committing an environmental offence. ‘Officials are now drawing up a report against the Tomorrowland operator. The official report will then go to the Antwerp public prosecutor. He will then have to decide whether the case will be dealt with by the courts or whether a fine will be imposed by the fining authority of the environment department’.
Tomorrowland risks a fine of up to 2 million euros. In their report, the environmental officers also estimate the gross costs Tomorrowland saved by not complying with the rules.
‘This capital gain is provisionally estimated at more than 1.5 million euros. It is up to the court or the regional fining authorities to make a final judgment on this. This could result in an extra levy on top of the fine,’ environment department notes.