Belfast Venues To Eliminate Single Use Plastic Cups

Approximately two million single use plastic cups are expected to be eliminated from Belfast's entertainment venues this year.

The Waterfront Hall, Ulster Hall, The SSE Arena, Oh Yeah Centre, Black Box, Voodoo and The MAC have all invested in what is set to be the first multi-venue scheme of this kind in the UK and Ireland, replacing single use plastic cups at gigs and events with reusable alternatives over the coming months.

The move aims to eliminate 40 tons of plastic waste annually, with other venues lined up to join the next phase of the citywide rollout.

The 12-month pilot is being driven by the Venue Sustainability Forum (VSF), chaired by Wilton Farrelly, Non-Executive Director of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Ltd and supported by Visit Belfast.

Iain Bell, Acting Chief Executive of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, said: "The task force behind this brilliant new initiative, the Venue Sustainability Forum, are setting out to tackle one of the biggest sustainability challenges affecting us all – single use plastic. "The switch from glass to plastic remains an important health and safety concern for gigs and entertainment venues, so this is a very positive step towards a solution which addresses both safety and sustainability."

The participating organisations will partner with North Down Marquees, who will deliver the reusable cups to the venues and pick up used ones, which will be washed in a central washing facility in Carryduff, before being redistributed again.

The SSE Arena will be the first participating venue to implement the use of reusable cups, with the scheme coming into effect from mid-January. 

Dermot McGinn, Group Head of Food and Beverage at The Odyssey Trust, said: "The SSE Arena, Belfast is proud to be the first venue involved in this trial to implement reusable cups.

"As Northern Ireland’s premier entertainment destination, we are committed to providing customers with the best experience every time while also minimising our environmental impact wherever possible.

"We are pleased to work alongside other forward-thinking venues to tackle single-use plastic waste and support a more sustainable future for entertainment in Northern Ireland."