One way or another, Europe has dominated the media headlines for the last few weeks. Virtually all of us have expressed our thoughts on the Brexit decision, and debate surrounding this momentous decision will undoubtedly continue for months, if not years, to come.
However, the continent has also dropped into conversation because of the Euro 2016 football tournament. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was a competition of yet more disappointment for the nation’s die-hard ‘three lions’ fans, and there are now two more years to wait before we see if the squad can perform in a major international competition.
But when it comes to events like this there are things to consider off the field too, which was the reason for our poll question in June. We asked ‘Does UEFA need a recycling strategy for Euro 2016?’ and the resounding feedback was that, yes, they do.
Only 14% of participants didn’t see the need for a recycling strategy, which is encouraging. Just as major seasonal events such as Christmas naturally create peak levels of ‘waste’ so too do competitions such as the Euros. A pre-defined recycling strategy is therefore crucial if the environmental impact of such occasions is to be managed and minimised.
Thankfully, this was something that UEFA thought about way in advance of ‘kick off’. They published their ‘Social Responsibility & Sustainability: One year to go report’ in 2015, outlining the steps they’d go to, to achieve greater public awareness, a 50% recycling rate and zero waste to landfill.
They implemented a number of strategies to fulfil these objectives. Reusable cups have been used at 8 of the competition’s 10 stadiums, for example. Other mechanisms deployed include rainwater harvesting in stadiums for pitch re-watering; composting and electronic ticketing at 2 of the stadiums; use of multi-bin solutions in kitchens; and the donation of surplus materials to NGOs.
The success of these resource management plans can only be fully assessed when the tournament is over. But it’s great to see organisations such as UEFA paying such attention to their ‘green’ policies. Glastonbury is another great example – they now have a 60% recycling target, up from 40% only two years ago. They also use hybrid generators, solar powered showers and compost toilets.
Let’s hope this momentum continues, so that, as a country, we can enjoy milestone occasions such as this, without worrying about the environmental ‘cost’.