Glasgow 2014 smashes waste management target
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games exceeded its waste management target by diverting 86% of its waste from landfill, according to a report by Zero Waste Scotland.
The Commonwealth Games had committed itself to diverting 80% of waste away from landfill sites as part of a ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ policy.
Findings of the report by Zero Waste Scotland show that 56% of this diverted waste was recycled with 60 tonnes of food waste also diverted from landfill during the games.
These impressive statistics were achieved by separating waste from the games into 12 different streams with volunteers, ‘Recycling Ambassadors’, also working to encourage visitors to take advantage of recycling bins on site.
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games is now the first ever Commonwealth Games to secure Event Management Standard ISO 20121, the international standard for sustainable event management.
It is also the first major sporting event this year to secure the international standard
Speaking on the success of the games’ waste management and recycling strategies, Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said:
“I was struck by the very visible effort that had been made to separate materials for recycling, including food waste and compostable packaging, which was genuinely innovative for an event of this scale.
“These achievements are testimony to the efforts made both by the organisers, volunteers, athletes and spectators to make a difference.”
