Circularity

We reduce

Every material that is never manufactured is waste we will never have to manage, which is why we make sure that everything that enters our festivals is truly necessary. Along these lines, we are working to make single-use plastic disappear completely from our events, starting with gestures that have a real impact:

• Plastic-free hydration for the Crew: We hand out reusable water bottles to the whole team during build-up and take-down, and we install water fountains in every production area so they can refill them without limit. At elrow Town Madrid alone, this measure meant more than 6,000 litres of water served from fountains, which translated into more than 12,000 single-use plastic bottles avoided.

• 100% compostable packaging: All our food trucks and catering areas use exclusively compostable packaging, containers and cutlery (EN 13432 standard), removing disposable plastics from our food offering and making it easier to compost the organic matter afterwards.

• Zero unnecessary wrapping: We minimise the use of plastics and packaging in the logistics of production materials and merchandise, prioritising recycled alternatives or responsibly sourced paper.

We reuse

More than 90% of the materials we use at our festivals are reused. We design every stage, costume and set to last at least 5 years. Our most veteran costume has been with us for over 10 years and has been through 79 shows; the most used one has danced at 190 parties as three different characters, proving that here nothing is considered finished as long as it can keep on partying.

That same philosophy reaches the dance floor through our reusable cups. Year after year we recover more of them to wash and put back into circulation in future editions. At elrow Town Madrid we went from recovering 8,600 cups in 2024 to more than 17,000 in 2026. We also run on-site activities and incentives that encourage the crowd to return theirs, making the circular economy an active part of the elrow experience.

We recycle

What we can't reuse, we recycle to the highest level. We deploy clearly signposted recycling stations and waste points throughout the venue so that separating waste on the dance floor is quick and easy. It makes us happy to see a crowd that is more aware every year, because that gesture keeps the festival clean and multiplies the tonnes sent to selective recycling (general waste, glass, packaging, paper/cardboard and bulky waste).

Our Food & Trash Patrol continuously audits waste separation in kitchens and bars, extending clean operations from the first day of build-up to the very last minute of take-down.

We transform

At elrow nothing goes to waste: we keep it, reinvent it and bring it back to the dance floor as something new through upcycling and circular economy projects:

• Walue / Precious Plastic project: We recover dirty, discontinued or broken cups that, instead of ending up in landfill, are turned into furniture for our chill-out areas or into 100% recycled plastic keyrings made on site. The cup you raise a toast with one night becomes the bench you rest on the next!

• Chill-out area poufs: The seats in our rest areas are made by reusing more than 800 kg of EVA foam and surplus polystyrene from old props, sewn directly in our own workshops.

• Circular backpacks and accessories: Old advertising and stage banners from our themes are reborn as backpacks, laptop sleeves and exclusive keyrings. These products are made in local workshops that support vulnerable groups. Stop by our merch store and ask about them!

Energy

We are committed to truly decarbonising our shows, combining maximum technical efficiency with clean energy sources to reduce the climate impact of our stages.

Efficiency and hybrid technology

Together with consultants specialised in energy engineering such as Zap Concepts, we draw up Energy Efficiency Plans for every event. We analyse in detail the load curves and the real demand of sound, lighting and screens in order to size the electrical panels without oversizing the power.

We incorporate state-of-the-art hybrid power systems, combining high-efficiency generators with mobile storage batteries and portable photovoltaic systems in hard-to-reach areas. This allows us to cover consumption peaks without wasting energy, reduce noise in the venue and drastically cut emissions of polluting particles.

Decarbonisation on the dance floor: success stories

• 100% grid connection: At large-scale events such as elrow Town Madrid, we connect every stage and festival service to the national power grid. Since most of the national electricity mix comes from renewable sources, this measure replaces the massive use of generators, cutting total fuel consumption by more than 41% compared with previous editions in a single event.

• 100% renewable fuels: For heavy build-up machinery (forklifts, aerial work platforms) and in situations where generators are essential, we use Repsol's 100% renewable diesel (HVO). Made from organic waste such as used cooking oil, this fuel cuts net CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared with traditional fossil fuels, driving the circular economy right on the dance floor.

Food

We are rethinking the festival's food offering because we know that what we eat and drink has a direct impact on the planet. Through our Sustainable Food Plan, we integrate environmental, health and animal welfare criteria into every food and beverage area.

Sustainability criteria

• Boosting plant-based and local food: Every year we expand the plant-based options at our festivals (with the goal of reaching 50% plant-based offering). We work with local food trucks and suppliers (zero-mile) and seasonal ingredients, prioritising plant proteins (legumes, tofu, tempeh) and quality ingredients over ultra-processed fast food.

• Incentives for our food vendors: We offer financial benefits to food trucks that present 100% vegan and gluten-free menus, making it easier to have a varied and sustainable offering at our events.

• Closing the organic loop (composting): All our food trucks and caterers use exclusively compostable containers, cups and cutlery certified under the European EN 13432 standard. We collect the organic fraction from kitchens and dining areas and send it to certified composting plants and vermicomposting projects (such as elrow x AbonoKM0), turning food leftovers into high-quality fertiliser to close the loop with zero waste.

• Raising awareness among the crowd and the Crew: We install traffic-light information panels in picnic areas showing the carbon and water footprint of each type of menu (meat vs. plant-based). We also encourage our own production team to choose meat-free menus during build-up days through promotions and competitions.

Measurements

What isn't measured can't be improved. That's why at all our large-scale festivals (XXL events and elrow Town) we calculate our environmental footprint scientifically and transparently together with Creast, a consultancy specialised in climate measurement for the entertainment industry.

Our measurements follow the strict methodology of the ISO 14067:2019 standard, using official emission factors from MITECO and DEFRA. We assess the entire life cycle of our events —pre-event (build-up), event and post-event (take-down)— auditing 100% of our direct and indirect emissions:

• Fuel consumption: We account for every litre of diesel and renewable HVO fuel used by heavy machinery, aerial work platforms and backup generators on site.

• Electricity consumption: Using telemetry and grid infrastructure, we measure the kWh consumed during production days and the live show.

• Water consumption and flows: Using digital meters, we audit the total volume of water used on site, distinguishing between drinking fountains for the public, toilet units, cleaning, bars and ice production. At elrow Town Madrid, for example, we recorded 172,000 litres consumed, 27.3% of which was free drinking water from fountains.

• Value chain and mobility (Scope 3): This is the largest block of our measurement. We analyse the travel of thousands of attendees (through mobility surveys and shuttle routes), train journeys of the Crew and artists, accommodation, the purchase of printed materials and the final management of every kilogram of waste generated.

Measuring in detail allows us to identify where our main emissions come from and apply real reduction measures, avoiding more than 100 tonnes of CO₂ eq at a single festival.

AGF audit

We are not satisfied with assessing ourselves: we seek the highest independent international validation.

That's why our flagship elrow Town festivals undergo an annual environmental and social audit by A Greener Future (AGF), the world's leading organisation in assessing sustainability in the events and live music industry.

What does the AGF assessment involve?

The A Greener Future audit combines a thorough review of documentary evidence before and after the festival with an on-site technical inspection during the event by independent international auditors. AGF carefully assesses our performance in key areas such as governance, local impact, inclusion, mobility, waste management, energy efficiency, food, value chain and carbon footprint.

Our commitment to continuous improvement

After analysing the data and comparing it with international best practices, AGF issues a rigorous report and rates festivals in four categories: Improvers, Commended, Highly Commended or Outstanding.

Having renewed the AGF Improvers recognition at elrow Town makes us very proud but, above all, it gives us a technical action plan to correct deviations, raise our standards year after year and make sure our strategy keeps moving firmly towards the 2030 Horizon.