OVER 1.08 MILLION bottles and cans were returned at Electric Picnic in Co Laois last weekend, almost double the 545,000 collected last year. 

More than 80,000 people attended the three-day festival this year. The clean-up operation began in Stradbally Hall on Monday, where photos shared on social media showed abandoned tents, sleeping bags and camp chairs, along with bottles and cans.

Re-turn, the private, not-for-profit company that operates the deposit return scheme, said it expanded its presence across the festival this year. 

Volunteers collected the eligible bottles and cans during the clean-up, while reverse vending machines and 300 orange bins were on-site throughout the festival. 

Re-turn said every eligible can or bottle donated through an orange bin supports its Return for Children initiative, which helps six children’s charities: Barnardos, Barretstown, Childline by ISPCC, Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice and Make-A-Wish Ireland.

Community groups also collected containers to raise money for their own local initiatives, including Meath Camogie, Killeshin GAA, Children’s Books Ireland and Down Syndrome Centre. 

As part of its campaign that saw orange bins placed at concerts and sporting events throughout the summer, Re-turn said it has raised over €335,000 for charities and community organisations.

Some €160,000 of this was raised from the collection at Electric Picnic.

“To see more than one million eligible cans and bottles returned at Electric Picnic is an incredible achievement and a fantastic way to finish what has been an outstanding summer for the Scheme,” Re-turn chief executive Ciaran Foley said.

“Every container returned has helped support children’s charities, community groups and local organisations across Ireland, while ensuring even more valuable materials remain within the circular economy.”

Susan O’Dwyer, CEO of Make-A-Wish Ireland, said they have been “blown away” by the support. 

“To see so many festival, concert and sporting event goers donating their empty bottles over the summer has been fantastic. It’s such a simple thing to do, but when thousands of people get involved, it makes a huge difference.”