Environment
Environmental Policy
We have chosen to entrust environmental matters to Dour Développement Durable ASBL (3D Asbl).
Here are the different areas in which the non-profit organisation is working together with the festival:
Waste
The non-profit organisation 3D was originally created to raise awareness among young people about waste sorting and respect for the environment. Its members had already participated in cleaning up the festival site after the event. This experience enabled them to develop sorting methods adapted to the events sector and, more specifically, to the requirements of a festival the size of the Dour Festival, located in the heart of the countryside.
3D ASBL has therefore implemented:
- The creation of a container park with numerous sorting sections (plastic, metal, cardboard, glass, batteries, iron, oils, etc.) with a view to recycling, recovering or disposing of waste in accordance with current environmental regulations.
- Organic waste goes to biomethanisation;
- Compostable cutlery is used at food stalls;
- Clear waste sorting signage on the festival site;
- Waste collection at the various campsites and a team dedicated to these areas in order to raise public awareness of the importance of sorting waste;
- Training to raise awareness among everyone about sustainable practices and waste sorting, provided by an on-site team and at campsites.
→ Objective: waste reduction
Given that the best waste is no waste at all, we are also implementing measures to minimise waste at the festival:
- Use of glass tableware whenever possible (Brasserie bar, backstage areas, VIP and press areas);
- Use of reusable cups or paper cups in all other bars at the festival;
- Installation of water fountains, most of which are connected to the mains water supply, available to staff and teams, avoiding the distribution of more than 50,000 plastic bottles;
- Drinking water points available for festival-goers in all sanitary areas;
- Call for organisations dedicated to helping people in need to collect unused food and camping equipment that is still usable. On Monday, festival-goers are asked to drop off equipment and food at a collection point set up on the campsites.
Set design
The festival’s scenography is created as much as possible using recycled materials (pallets, wood, shipping containers, etc.).
Signage and tarpaulins from previous years are also reused.
Charter
To ensure that everyone attending the festival is in line with our values, we have implemented various environmental charters:
- A charter for festival-goers at themed campsites;
- A charter for the crew at the campsite;
- A charter for stands and partners (no flyering, waste reduction and sorting, etc.);
- A Green Rider for artists, raising awareness of our values of short supply chains, combating waste and reducing waste.
Mobility
We encourage public transport to the festival via numerous sustainable mobility alternatives:
- buses departing from major European cities in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland with the aim of reducing individual journeys;
- a bicycle parking area.
Bicycle tours are also organised in collaboration with Hainaut Culture Tourisme to showcase the heritage surrounding the festival.
Other sustainable initiatives
- Maximum use of LED lamps;
- Establishment of a Green Camping site based on a zero-waste concept, which includes an environmental awareness charter. Every day, various activities are organised there: promotion of local products during aperitifs offered to festival-goers, wellness activities (yoga classes, handpan, etc.).
- Use of 100% eco-friendly cleaning products throughout the site.
