Flemish environment minister Jo Brouns has doubts about the special type of reusable cups that the Tomorrowland festival will introduce next summer. Tomorrowland is putting chips in the cups to be able to track them, which would have a higher environmental impact.
Since 2023, the Flemish government requires all major festivals in Flanders to use reusable cups instead of disposable plastic cups. Some festivals were granted a one-year exemption for that year, including Tomorrowland. But the famous techno festival failed to comply with the law in 2024, resulting in a fine of over 700,000 euros.
Rare earth materials
To avoid future fines, Tomorrowland will using reusable cups from this year. But unlike other major festivals, it plans to track them using RFID (radio frequency identification) by putting a chip in each cup. These chips are made from rare earth minerals, which Brouns says could increase the festival’s environmental impact.
“Obviously the environmental impact of these cups is much higher,” Brouns said in Parliament on Wednesday. “I have been told that they contain precious metals, among other things, which makes [the cups] more complex and also has an environmental impact via the recycling of these cups.”
“Obviously the environmental impact of these cups is much higher”
Studies commissioned by the Flemish government and neighbouring countrieshave shown that reusable cups have significant environmental benefits and reduce waste compared to disposable cups. But these studies did not take this technology into account, Brouns said.
The minister also pointed out that most organisers have been able to work out a return system using low-tech systems. He did not say whether Tomorrowland would also be forced to develop a system without using advanced technology.
