European Athletics and the organising committee of the Barcelona 2010 European Athletics Championships are committed to doing their bit to make the sport of athletics sustainable and reduce its impact on the environment.
Barcelona 2010 used the European Athletics Sustainable Sports Event Toolkit (SSET) – an online “how to” guide for environmentally conscious organisers – to identify ways of reducing the environmental impact of the championships and came up with a number of fresh ideas to show its commitment to the environment.
Sustainability initiatives in Barcelona include a “no paper policy” in the VIP area. Following suggestions from guests at previous events, no printed copies of start lists, results and other information will be distributed in the VIP area, thereby saving thousands of sheets of paper and reducing waste.
There will be extra CIS (Commentator Information Systems) throughout the VIP area so that guests are still able to get the up-to-date information they need to fully enjoy the competition.
All start lists, results and other information will be delivered quickly and efficiently to journalists in the main press centre and media tribune – but only on request so as to further reduce paper waste.
European Athletics Director General Christian Milz said, “We sincerely believe that an environmentally friendly and sustainable event is the only way forward for the sports fraternity and at European Athletics we do our level best to ensure that all our major events do not just adhere to global standards but set examples for others to follow. I am proud of the way the LOC of Barcelona 2010 has come up with a number of initiatives that will leave behind a good legacy for the European Athletics Championships and the host city of Barcelona.”
Another initiative will be the sale of reusable biodegradable cups with a B10 design at public bars and the market square, which will also be available in the VIP area with recycle containers in which guests can drop their cups.
There will also be rubbish separation and recycling of stadium waste, roof water from the stadium will be used to water the grass, while flyer and promotional materials are being printed on recyclable paper.
B10, whose initiatives will help change awareness of sustainability in sports events in Spain, will upload its experiments and recommendations for future organizers to the SSET.
European Athletics launched the SSET in 2009. It was co-developed with the International Academy of Sports Science and Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, the International Olympic Committee and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Organising Committee.
Fourteen athletics events across Europe have used or are planning on using the tool, including the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris and Athletissima, the recent IAAF Diamond League meeting in Lausanne.
'It's been gratifying to see how many events have already expressed an interest in the SSET, which we are making available to our partners free of charge,” said Milz.
'I believe that in the coming years the SSET will help to make athletics events across Europe more sustainable thereby adding to the already strong positive image our sport enjoys with the public'.