The Paris 2024 Olympic Games
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games set a new standard for sustainability in major sporting events. The organisers committed to halving the average carbon emissions of previous Games, aiming to host the greenest Olympics in history. From utilising existing sporting infrastructure to improving cycle lanes and public transport for greener access, the Paris Games pushed for progress on sustainability action.
The sustainable legacy created by the Paris Olympics will include its innovative strategy to reduce single-use plastics across events. Notably, every venue offered free water fountains to encourage the use of refillable bottles and provided reusable cups for water and soda, aiming to reduce single-use plastic by 50% compared to the London Games - a winning formula that BRITA and the LTA also introduced at this year's tennis Championships.
BRITA Water Dispensers
We are setting a new standard for future sporting events. By exposing millions of spectators to reusable systems, we can nudge and influence their habits beyond these events, potentially leading to wider adoption of sustainable practices. We hope these efforts have paved the way for other events to follow, increasing the demand for reusable solutions at scale to spur innovation in the events and hospitality industries, leading to more sustainable options.
But how can policymakers help accelerate this progress?
Existing regulations and policies aimed at reducing single-use plastics in sports have been gaining momentum in recent years as environmental concerns become more prominent.
We have seen several key initiatives and policies emerge.
Government-led initiatives: The UK government has taken a proactive stance in addressing plastic pollution in sports. In 2019, the Environment Agency issued guidance urging the sports industry to reduce avoidable plastic waste at events and stadiums. This guidance encourages sports organisations to:
- Introduce water refill stations
- Minimise food packaging
- Provide more recycling bins
- Challenge suppliers to reduce plastic use
- Implement the waste hierarchy (avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle)
The UK Environment Agency's efforts aim to leverage the sports industry's influence to drive global change in plastic consumption habits.
Sports organisation policies
Many sports organisations have implemented their own policies to reduce single-use plastics. Here are some initiatives we have been inspired by:
- Commonwealth Games: The 2018 Commonwealth Games banned plastic balloons and introduced water refills to reduce plastic waste.
- Twickenham Stadium: Implemented a deposit return scheme for "fan cups," where fans pay an extra £1 for their cup and get the money back upon return.
- Tottenham Hotspur: Committed to phasing out single-use plastics across all club operations.
- Formula 1: Pledged to eliminate or significantly reduce single-use plastics at trackside operations, aiming to reduce single-use plastic bottles by 1 million in 2021 and eradicate them at the Grand Prix by 2025.
Reducing single-use plastic in the sports industry
Regulatory frameworks: While specific sports-focused regulations are limited, broader plastic reduction policies impact the sports industry. For example, the UK recently adopted measures restricting single-use plastics including straws, balloon sticks and cotton buds as part of its commitment to addressing plastic waste.
While these regulations and policies represent significant progress, there is still room for more comprehensive and widespread adoption of plastic reduction strategies in the sports industry. The combination of government guidance, organisational policies, and voluntary commitments is driving the shift towards more sustainable practices in sports events and venues.
We hope to see more game changers bringing sustainable solutions to sport in 2025!
