More than 60 independent British music festivals have committed to ban single-use plastic from their sites by 2021.As a minimum, those festivals have committed to banning the use of plastic straws this year. It’s hoped that this ban will extend to items such as plastic bottles and plastic food trays in the future.

The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) says it wants festival-goers to think about “re-use”, not “single-use”. AIF co-founder Rob Da Bank said the festival group were “leading the global charge against unnecessary plastic at all our festivals”.

He added: “Unless you’ve been living on the moon, you’ll know the plastic problem is not going away. I’m very proud that the organisation we started with five members 10 years ago now boasts over 60 who have all signed up to eradicate single-use plastic in the next couple of years.”

Examples of single-use plastic items at festivals include:

• Plastic drinks bottles
• Plastic straws
• Glitter
• Plastic food trays
• Cable ties
• Toiletry bottles (hand-wash, shower gel, etc)