By making conscious choices in waste management, energy consumption, and the use of environmentally friendly materials, festivals can significantly reduce their impact on the environment. This year, the 3rd Klaphek Festival in Volendam has once again committed to making the festival more sustainable. During the festival, which took place on Ascension Day, a new initiative was launched with the sale of sustainable, recyclable tarps as an alternative to the traditionally brought construction tarps. These orange ground tarps, measuring 3×3 meters, were available for just two consumption tokens and presented a colorful new image on the festival grounds.

The tarps, produced and sponsored by KIVO Plastic Packaging, are made from recycled and 100% recyclable material. At the end of the festival, visitors could return their tarps in a specially designated CircularBag, after which they could be collected by Kras Recycling for high-quality recycling again. “It was a great, sustainable success that we will certainly continue. Next year, the waste container can be at least half as small,” said Alex Schilder, co-organizer and volunteer of the festival.

In addition to the ground tarp, the festival also introduced a sustainable hard cup in collaboration with Dutch Cups this year. For half a token, festival-goers could purchase their own reusable cup, which could be used throughout the day for various drinks without flavor transfer. These cups were exchangeable with each new order at the bar, ensuring a clean cup with every drink. The cups could be returned or taken home at the end of the day.

The collaboration between Kras Recycling, KIVO Plastic Packaging, and Dutch Cups has provided a more sustainable festival experience. All three companies are also members of Circular Plastics Alliance.

With these initiatives, the 3rd Klaphek Festival sets a new standard for sustainability at events. By using reusable materials and systems, the festival contributes to less waste and a cleaner environment, setting an example for future events in the Netherlands and beyond.