A familiar symbol of Liverpool, the iconic purple bins will be proudly featured at this week’s BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend in Sefton Park, taking place from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 May.
The city’s iconic purple bins will be showcased in an immersive experience called “Purple Patch”, designed to combine creativity, sustainability, and education. Visitors to the space can relax, charge their phones for free, and learn more about how to recycle effectively across Liverpool.
Commissioned by Liverpool City Council and brought to life by local social enterprise Make CIC, the interactive installation is part of a broader campaign to address the city’s low recycling rates.
Make CIC has collaborated with local artists and makers to create a visually engaging and eco-friendly environment. Inside “Purple Patch,” festivalgoers will discover phone charging stations and a DJ booth built from repurposed purple bins, seating made from upcycled tyres, and vibrant artwork crafted entirely from recycled materials donated by residents.
Attendees can also participate in hands-on quizzes designed to highlight simple, sustainable lifestyle changes they can adopt at home—improving recycling habits, living greener, and saving money.
Currently, nearly two-thirds of waste discarded in Liverpool’s purple bins could be recycled. Of that, almost 19% belongs in the blue recycling bins. Common items mistakenly binned include textiles, clothing (which could be donated), cans, plastic bottles, and compostable food waste.
The city sends around 135,000 tonnes of waste for incineration annually, with waste management contributing to 9% of Liverpool’s CO2 emissions.
As part of its new Recycling and Waste Strategy, launched earlier this year, the Council is placing a strong emphasis on education and community engagement to encourage residents, businesses, and organisations to reduce, reuse, and recycle more effectively. The strategy also includes upcoming improvements to local recycling services, such as the planned rollout of food waste recycling by April next year.
“Purple Patch” embodies the vision of a circular economy, promoting creative ways to give old materials new life and reduce waste generation at the source.
After the Big Weekend, the installation will be stored and reused at future community events.
Festival attendees can find Purple Patch located in the Main Review Field throughout the weekend.
Kirsten Little, Make’s Co-founder and Artistic Director said:
“It’s fantastic for Make to be at the heart of Radio 1’s Big Weekend with the Purple Patch.
“Being commissioned by Liverpool City Council to create this space has been a real privilege. What makes this project really special is the incredible talent of our maker network, who have poured their skills into transforming what was once considered waste into a vibrant and functional area for festival-goers.
“We’ve had amazing support from local businesses like Roberts Recycling for textiles, alongside recycled paints from Reciprocity, repurposed tyres and old tech destined for landfill, and literally tonnes of household recycling from Liverpool Residents.
“The Purple Patch is a testament to the power of creativity and collaboration in championing sustainability – something that’s deeply ingrained in the ethos of everything we do at Make.”
Councillor Harry Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture said:
“Improving recycling rates is a priority for the Council, but that can only be done by speaking to residents and helping them to understand the bigger picture.
“We wanted to come up with a creative solution for everyday issues. Make CIC have taken that brief and produced something beyond our expectations. The local artists working on the project understand what’s important to Liverpool and Big Weekend attendees and have created a must-see area.
“Purple Patch isn’t just an educational space; it’s the perfect place to rest and recharge between sets or keep the party going with the DJ booth. While there, interactive spots will give you tips and tricks to help the environment or even save money when it comes to shopping.
“There are incredible artists performing at this year’s event, but Purple Patch is bound to be a real headline act.”
READ MORE: BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend: Simple tips and reminders
