The Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow between 23 July and 3 August 2014 exceeded its waste management targets, it has been revealed today (4 November), after diverting 86 per cent of waste from landfill, with more than half recycled.

Working in collaboration with resource efficiency body Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS), which delivers the Scottish Government’s Zero Waste Plan, Glasgow 2014 set out to deliver a Commonwealth Games with a ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ focus through a range of sustainability management actions and targets. These included:

• setting an 80 per cent landfill diversion target;
• using compostable packaging where appropriate;
• separating recyclable materials at the point of collection;
• using recyclable and sustainable materials in its development; and
• encouraging visitors and athletes to recycle.

Results

According to ZWS, the event surpassed its landfill diversion target by six per cent – and recycled 56 per cent of this diverted waste. This was said to be due in part to separating waste into 12 different streams at the point of collection, and in part to volunteer ‘Recycling Ambassadors’ educating visitors on using recycling bins.

Around 60 tonnes of food waste were also diverted from landfill, as separate composting bins had been provided to retailers, said to be a ‘first for a major event in Scotland’.

Further to this, retailers were asked to use compostable plates and cups as well as recyclable bottles for food and drinks packaging, and encouraged to consider the raw materials, chemicals, delivery methods and provenance of their packaging.

Food and garden waste collected from households in Glasgow City, East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire Councils was also used in the development of the Athletes’ Village and other Commonwealth Games venues.

Glasgow 2014 has officially become the first Commonwealth Games and the only sporting event so far this year to secure the global Event Management Standard ISO 20121, the international standard for sustainable event management.

ZWS to develop ‘sustainable events guide’ based on Glasgow 2014

Commenting on Glasgow 2014’s achievements in recycling and waste management, Chief Executive David Grevemberg, said: “Glasgow 2014 has to thank… absolutely everyone who played a part in helping us achieve such a great performance in delivering a sustainable Commonwealth Games. In doing so, we have met targets and also set a new gold standard in delivering major events in Scotland in a sustainable way.

“Sustainability was at the core of all our decisions and not an added extra or bolted on strategy, and it was our aim to contribute to making positive and lasting changes in the way we use natural and human resources to improve quality of life for all – now and in the future.”

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of ZWS, added: “Like the many thousands of people who visited games venues, 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.

“It’s also significant that we can use the experience of Glasgow 2014 to help other major events, and we will be working with Events Scotland and others to develop a sustainable events guide as a key legacy initiative.”

Scotland’s Environment Secretary, Richard Lochhead, commended the achievements, saying: “The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games was the biggest sporting and cultural event ever staged in Scotland, and I saw first-hand the sheer scale of the efforts to make it as sustainable as possible.

“I was particularly impressed by the Recycling Ambassadors who volunteered to help people sort their waste, and I am sure innovative measures such as these made a real and positive contribution to what was achieved. I now look forward to seeing how we can build on this valuable experience to help make other major events in Scotland as green as possible.”

Glasgow 2014 was the 20th Commonwealth Games and involved 71 teams from Commonwealth nations competing in 17 different sports across 11 days of competition.

Find out more about the Glasgow 2014.