Olympic athletes urge beverage giants to embrace reusable packaging

As the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games approach, a coalition of over 100 elite athletes is urging Coca-Cola and Pepsi to increase their commitment to reusable packaging to combat the plastic pollution crisis. This initiative could make Paris 2024 the largest sporting event to serve beverages in reusable packaging, potentially eliminating millions of single-use plastic cups.

The call to action is spearheaded by organisations such as Sailors for the Sea Powered by Oceana and EcoAthletes. In a joint letter, the signatories expressed their deep concern about the escalating plastic pollution issue and encouraged the beverage giants to use the upcoming Olympics as a catalyst for introducing more reusable options at future sporting events.

The letter is endorsed by 113 signatories, including 102 athletes and 11 organisations, representing 43 sports and 30 countries. Among the athletes are over 50 Olympians, Paralympians, world champions, and world record holders, with 22 competitors slated to participate in the Paris 2024 Games. Notable signatories include Italy’s 39-time freediving world record holder Alessia Zecchini, two-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Zach Apple from Team USA, and 50-year-old skateboarder Andy Macdonald, who will represent Team Great Britain in Paris.

The athletes are specifically asking Coca-Cola and Pepsi to:

• Offer reusable packaging options globally and significantly increase the use of such packaging by 2030.
• Ensure that future Olympics and other major sporting events prioritise reusable packaging over single-use alternatives.
• Advocate for the inclusion of legally binding targets and mechanisms to boost reusable packaging in national legislation and the United Nations plastic treaty.

Dr. Shelley Brown, Director of Sailors for the Sea, said: Escalating plastic pollution poses a massive threat to the oceans and our health. Plastics are everywhere, from floating on the surface of the ocean, to sitting at the deepest point of the ocean floor, to the air we breathe and the water we drink. We must reduce the amount of single-use plastic being produced. The answer is simple – we need more reuse and less single use.

This collective effort aims to leverage the visibility and influence of the Olympic Games to promote sustainable practices and address the urgent issue of plastic pollution on a global scale.