Study finds post-festival beach cleanups fail to stop waste build-up

A study by researchers from MARE, ARNET and GeoBioTec, led by Zara Teixeira, tracked five editions of the RFM SOMNII festival at Praia do Relógio in Figueira da Foz between 2019 and 2023. Across 17 monitoring campaigns, over 26,000 waste items were collected, more than 90% of them plastic, exceeding EU recommended limits. Waste concentrated mainly near the stage and VIP areas, reflecting attendee behaviour and gaps in waste management. The findings suggest cleanups remain insufficient and could guide municipalities and organisers in adjusting collection points, reinforcing intermediate cleaning and tightening event licensing rules.