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In recognition of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) World Environment Day, Live Nation, the world’s leading live entertainment company, today announced a first in the nation sustainability effort in Atlanta with the implementation of TURN Reusable Cup Systems across all Live Nation venues in the city – a key solution to curbing single-use plastic pollution.

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest challenges facing our planet today. Unsustainable production, consumption, and disposal habits around plastics are polluting our environment and creating human health risks. Every year, over 400 million tons of plastic is produced worldwide, of which one-third is used just once and less than 10% recycled. According to UNEP’s latest report, Turning off the Tap, plastic pollution can be reduced by 80 percent by 2040 if immediate action is taken to reuse, recycle, reorient, and diversify away from plastics.

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Live Nation’s commitment to this initiative extends to several prominent venues in Atlanta, including Lakewood Amphitheatre, Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park, Coca-Cola Roxy, Tabernacle, and Buckhead Theatre. These venues will be among the first to benefit from the TURN Reusable Cup Systems program. 

Leaders gathered at the Buckhead Theater in Atlanta in partnership with TURN, UNEP, and the Green Sports Alliance to make the announcement which included an interactive demonstration of how the TURN reusable cup circular system works and remarks from Live Nation’s Lucy August-Perna; United Nations Environment Programme’s Ms. Fatou Ndoye; TURN Ryan Everton; and Green Sports Alliance’s Carlie Bullock-Jones.

“We’re proud of everything we’ve achieved by bringing TURN to Live Nation festivals and venues – and hope that by helping to scale TURN in Atlanta we can help cement reuse as a part of Atlanta’s already admirable sustainability efforts,” said Lucy August-Perna, Live Nation’s Director of Global Sustainability. 

The TURN system includes reusable cups, collection bins and washing systems powered by technology that incentivizes fans to return their cups for rewards. A single reusable TURN cup has the potential to displace up to 100 single-use cups and can break even on its environmental impact in as few as 3 uses. As the primary option for beverages at Live Nation venues in Atlanta, fans will be able to easily use the return bin system in place of a traditional trash or recycling can. 

“TURN’s brand-new commercial mega washing facility in Atlanta is ready to service businesses and events – and wash  thousands of  products per day. By partnering together, we will scale these efforts across Atlanta and beyond,” said Ryan Everton, Founder and CEO of TURN. 

“The Green Sports Alliance is thrilled to forge partnerships with Live Nation, UNEP, and TURN, uniting our collective efforts to amplify the extraordinary actions undertaken this week in the battle against plastic pollution. We wholeheartedly acknowledge and applaud the remarkable leadership, collaboration, and unwavering commitment demonstrated in our joint endeavor to minimize waste, establish crucial infrastructure, generate employment opportunities, and engage with fans, all paving the way for a more sustainable and thriving future for our communities,” said Roger McClendon, Executive Director of Green Sports Alliance.

In 2022, Live Nation and TURN together displaced over 1.2 million single use cups from landfill through their successful rollout of TURN reusable cups across 11 major festivals. Today’s announcement builds on Live Nation’s pledge to eliminate single-use plastics from its events, a key pillar in the company’s global sustainability charter, Green Nation, that is working towards zero-waste concerts. 

“World Environment Day is the UN’s day for raising worldwide awareness and encouraging action to protect our environment. This year’s theme is ‘Solutions to Plastic Pollution’ which is why today’s announcement is so important,” said Fatou Ndoye, UNEP Regional Director for North America. “ We must rethink and reinvent new systems to eliminate single-use plastic and this initiative demonstrates the industry’s commitment to change while inviting the public to join them to be part of the change we want to see.”