Waste Managed is launching a UEFA Euro 2024 Championship-themed campaign to raise awareness about the significant amount of waste generated at football matches.
The waste management firm, which launched in 2011 and aims to help businesses and communities reduce landfill, is taking a creative approach to engage the public and highlight the environmental issues of large sporting events.
As part of the campaign, the firm will place a 240-litre household-sized wheelie bin, in the centre of Newcastle. The bin will be divided in two, allowing passers-by to ‘vote with their waste’ for their preferred team in selected matches across the championship.
The bin will be in place for several key matches during the championships and for the quarter-finals, semi-final and final match.
The bin aims to encourage people to dispose of their waste responsibly while supporting their team.
Football matches, especially large-scale events like the UEFA Champions League, EURO championships, and the World Cup, generate a substantial amount of rubbish that is destined for landfill.
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On average, a European football match produces 0.8 kg of rubbish per spectator, translating to approximately 4.2 tonnes per match.
Across all matches organised by European national football associations, the total amount of rubbihs generated is estimated at a staggering 750,000 tonnes per year.
Large-scale sporting events also raise other environmental concerns such as energy and water consumption and emissions from travel.
Steve Traviss, sustainability expert, Waste Managed said: “With this campaign, we aim to raise awareness and encourage fans in our hometown of Newcastle to be more mindful of their waste not just at the games but also people watching around the world.”
“This means Geordies can support their team and the environment at the same time.”
