EVENTS VENUES IN Belfast are to eliminate single-use plastic cups, following similar initiatives in other parts of Ireland.

Major and grassroots venues including the Waterfront Hall, Ulster Hall, SSE Arena, Oh Yeah Centre, Black Box, Voodoo and The MAC will all introduce reusable cups in the coming months as part of a 12-month pilot.

Other venues are lined up to join the next phase of the multi-venue reusable cup rollout.

As part of the scheme, North Down Marquees will deliver the reusable cups to the venues and pick up used ones, which will then be washed in a central washing facility in Carryduff before being redistributed.

Single-use cups have begun being used at Irish events in the last few years, in most cases through a deposit return scheme where people can collect money in return for taking their cups back, similar to the plastic bottles Deposit Return Scheme in shops.

The SSE Arena will be the first participating venue in Northern Ireland to introduce reusable cups, which is expected in mid-January.

Dermot McGinn, group head of food and beverage at The Odyssey Trust, said the SSE Arena is “proud” to be the first venue involved in the trial.

He added: “We are pleased to work alongside other forward-thinking venues to tackle single-use plastic waste and support a more sustainable future for entertainment in Northern Ireland.”

Iain Bell – acting chief executive the International Convention & Exhibition Centre Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall – said the initiative wants to tackle “one of the biggest sustainability challenges affecting us all – single use plastic”.

“The switch from glass to plastic remains an important health and safety concern for gigs and entertainment venues, so this is a very positive step towards a solution which addresses both safety and sustainability,” he added.

Chief executive of the Oh Yeah Centre Charlotte Dryden said the venue was “delighted” to be involved in the initiative.

She added: “As a grassroots music venue, sustainability is at the top of not just our organisation’s agenda but also our community’s agenda.

“This reduction in single-use plastic is a brilliant success for venues and Belfast as a city.”

Director of the Black Box Kathryn McShane said the venue “never liked” using single-use cups and had been looking for an alternative for several years, but could not find a feasible option.

“The positive impact of the reusable cup scheme for The Black Box and for other venues in the city will be huge,” she said.

“It will almost eradicate our need to use any single use plastics in the venue, will drastically reduce our waste and allow our audiences to make more sustainable choices.”

Emmett Ross, facilities manager at The MAC said the organisation’s focus for 2025/26 will be ‘Climate in Action’, and so it was “a perfect time” to take part in the reusable cup pilot.

“We are very proud to be a part of the collaborative group of organisations bringing this scheme to life, and we believe this city-wide initiative shows what can be achieved when organisations have a joint ambition to make a positive change for the future.”

The Venue Sustainability Forum (VSF) is the group behind the initiative, supported by Visit Belfast and chaired by non-executive director of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Wilton Farrelly.

Senior manager of sustainability and impact at Visit Belfast Jac Callan said it was delighted to welcome the “innovative” initiative across a diverse range of venues.

The scheme aims to remove two million single-use plastic cups and 40 tons of plastic waste a year from Belfast nights out.