Introduction of a reusable cup system at Valmiera Region events in 2025

On Wednesday, 19 February, a meeting on the introduction of a reusable cup system at events in Valmiera Region in 2025 was held. The meeting brought together representatives of Valmiera Municipality Government, Cup Revolution Latvia Ltd, event organisers and entrepreneurs who provide catering at events.

At the beginning of the meeting, Līga Bieziņa, Deputy Head and Development Planner of the Development Department of the Valmiera Municipality Government, presented the challenges of plastics management in Latvia and worldwide, as well as the INTERREG Baltic Sea Region project BALTIPLAST implemented by the municipality. Sintija Milberga, Culture Project Manager of Valmiera Culture Centre, told more about the experience of the 2024 Valmiera City Festival and the goals of the Valmiera Municipality in organising events in 2025.

Representatives of Cup Revolution Latvia Ltd informed about the new reusable cup system (RevoCup), its financial management, its benefits compared to the system implemented last year, as well as technically useful information. While last year visitors could get cash back for their deposit in cash or by paying via an app at a separate drop-off point, this year it will be possible to do it in a completely different way – with tokens. Visitors will have to make a one-time purchase (€2) at the restaurant or cafe, or bar when buying a drink. When returning the cups to any of the vendors, the cups can be exchanged for a clean cup or a token. The next time you buy a drink, the token can be exchanged for a cup.

The participants were eager to ask questions and engage in a discussion with representatives of Cup Revolution Latvia Ltd. It was particularly important for businesses to learn about the planned system and the responsibilities of vendors in advance, in order to prepare and plan their participation in events where the reusable cup system will be in place. We thank the business community for their interest, discussions and support to make this summer’s events in Valmiera Region more environmentally friendly!

Valmiera Municipality tested the cup deposit system for the first time at the 2024 Valmiera City Festival. During the event, 29 651 reusable cups were used, which reduced the amount of waste collected during the festival by 29%, thus also significantly reducing the environmental impact of the event. After the event, the municipality received positive feedback from the visitors, the participating businesses and the deposit system providers, and plans to continue using the reusable cup system for events in Valmiera Region in 2025.

Author: Elizabete Brūvere,

Valmiera Municipality Government

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