Mayo festival goers urged to prioritise hygiene at Electric Picnic

With Electric Picnic set to take place from August 16 to 18, festivalgoers from Mayo are being reminded to prioritise good hygiene during the event.

As the summer festival season draws to a close, Initial Hygiene, one of Ireland’s leading providers of washroom hygiene solutions, has issued essential advice to help attendees stay safe and healthy.

Electric Picnic, which attracts large crowds, presents unique hygiene challenges, particularly due to the use of shared facilities such as temporary toilets and showers.

The close quarters and communal nature of the event can lead to the spread of germs, with hands being a common carrier of bacteria. Contaminated surfaces like door handles, toilet roll holders, and condiment bottles at food stalls can easily transfer germs from one person to another.

Colm Moore, Area Technical Manager with Initial Hygiene, highlighted the importance of maintaining basic hygiene practices at the festival. He noted that while festivals are a fantastic experience, the large number of people in confined spaces can increase the risk of infection.

Moore advised festivalgoers to follow simple hygiene tips to enjoy the event while minimizing potential health risks.

Among the key recommendations for those attending Electric Picnic are to pack essential items such as wet wipes, hand sanitiser, toilet paper, a toothbrush, and toothpaste.

Regular hand hygiene is crucial, particularly before eating and after using the toilet, as most infections that cause sickness and diarrhoea are spread through poor hand hygiene. Festivalgoers are also advised to pack sufficient clean water for drinking, washing, and cleaning cooking utensils.

Moore also urged attendees to use their sleeves or elbows when touching door handles and taps, to avoid urinating in public, and to wear appropriate footwear like wellies or comfortable runners to prevent fungal infections.

Bringing lightweight towels to dry off and wearing flip-flops or similar footwear in temporary showers were also recommended to reduce the risk of foot fungi. For those who menstruate, packing enough period products is essential to avoid being caught short.

In addition to advice for festivalgoers, Initial Hygiene also called on festival organisers to ensure that sufficient toilets and water taps are available throughout the site.

Hand hygiene facilities are particularly important, with organizers encouraged to provide sinks with running water and soap in portaloos, as well as hand sanitiser stations at various points around the venue. Providing surface cleanser wipes in toilet facilities is another recommendation to help keep surfaces clean and minimize the spread of bacteria.