Festival season is finally upon us, but as Brits dig out their flower crowns and brush 2019’s mud off their welly boots, there is one horror preparing to make a comeback like a passé 00s boy band… the dreaded portaloo or, more specifically, the impact of what goes down it.
Just the word conjures memories of what lurks beneath, but this year, the nightmare lives longer than the stench in festival-goers nostrils, as eco-friendly toilet paper company, Who Gives A Crap, reveals the true cost of Brits’ festival toilet habits and the lasting impact traditional toilet paper has on the planet.
Despite many organisers making strides to create a more sustainable festival experience, such as compost loos and refillable water bottle stations, people’s BYO toilet paper choices are unwittingly contributing towards deforestation.
New data analysed by the company reveals that the 210,000 revellers expected to attend Glastonbury alone could get through 367,500 rolls of toilet paper, which (if all visitors use traditional toilet paper made with virgin wood pulp aka the usual supermarket loo roll), would mean close to 1000 trees would need to be cutdown and 9,800 square metres of forest destroyed.
Similarly, the 165,000 people attending the Leeds & Reading festivals this August are predicted to get through 173,250 rolls across the three day, two location event, which equates to 433 trees and 4,620 square metres of forest.
A breakdown of estimated toilet paper usage at other popular UK festivals is as follows:
- Isle of Wight goers use 94,500 rolls across the festival’s 3 days which is equivalent to 236 trees
- Park Life goers use 56,000 rolls across the festival’s 2 days which is equivalent to 140 trees
- Download goers use 56,000 rolls across the festival’s 2 days equivalent to 140 trees
- Lovebox goers use 52,500 rolls across the festival’s 3 days equivalent to 131 trees
- TRNSMT goers use 52,500 rolls across the festival’s 3 days equivalent to 131 trees
- Secret Garden Party goers use 49,000 rolls across the festival’s 4 days equivalent to 123 trees
- Latitude goers use 49,000 rolls across the festival’s 4 days equivalent to 123 trees
- Wilderness goers use 14,000 rolls across the festival’s 4 days equivalent to 35 trees
- Bestival goers use 14,000 rolls across the festival’s 4 days equivalent to 35 trees
This means that the collective impact of some of the UK’s most popular festivals equates to an estimated 2,446 trees before taking into account the other festivals in the country, not to mention those taking place across Europe. But despite this shocking reality, more than 60% of Brits have no idea that their choice of loo roll contributes towards deforestation.
But there is an alternative for Brits wanting to enjoy a greener festival experience. If, even for one day only, every Brit (not just festival-goers) switched to recycled toilet paper (instead of toilet paper made from virgin fibres), it could collectively save 33,330 trees from being cut down – more than 10x the amount of trees in Hyde Park (3,100).
“Most of us don’t realise that we’re flushing one of our most precious resources down the portaloo” says Elissa Foster, Head of Sustainability at Who Gives A Crap. “With the festival season soon to be in full-swing, we’re urging those attending a festival this summer to think about their festival footprint and pack an eco-friendly pack of TP in their backpack.
“The impact traditional toilet paper production has on biodiversity, flora and fauna is huge but if festival goers make a small switch, it can have a profound positive impact on our planet. ”
Who Gives A Crap’s toilet paper is plastic free and made from sustainable materials. For those wanting to reduce their festival footprint this summer, they can c using code FESTIVALSEASON so they can make sustainable choices in the cubicle, and sleep easy after a long day of dancing.
That’s not all. The company also donates 50% of its profits to clean water and sanitation non-profits worldwide, to help ensure everyone, everywhere has access to clean water and a toilet within their lifetime.
