PET bottles and aluminum cans at the Sziget Festival: challenges and solutions

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 08. 08. 11:38

The redemption system for PET bottles and aluminum cans, which came into effect on July 1, also affects the Sziget Festival, but visitors cannot get the deposit back due to the lack of an automatic machine. According to Portfolio’s report, although there are large selective waste collectors in the festival area, the lack of redemption machines was a serious challenge.

The Sziget Festival prioritizes environmental awareness. Contracted hospitality partners can only use paper or biodegradable materials, thus reducing the use of plastic. When dispensing drinks, the reporah system works, where visitors can exchange the glasses for tokens or money at the Green Sziget Points.

Although the packaging of bottled soft drinks and beers already includes the HUF 50 redemption fee sign, there were no REpoint machines at the festival that would allow the refund of the deposit fee. The reason for this is that the machines would fill up too quickly and would not accept foreign bank cards, which would affect many foreign visitors.

Tamás Kádár, the company manager of Sziget Kulturalis Menedjser Iroda Zrt., said that the new system caused some difficulties. MOHU could not collect the bottles in its current structure, so the festival decided not to charge the HUF 50 deposit fee. “It’s not fair to ask for the prize if you don’t have the option of redeeming it,” said Kádár.