One hundred seventy-three tonnes of branding materials from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ are being recycled by a company in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Top Plastics (STP).
Made from polyester fabric, the materials were previously used as stadium wraps, banners and fence coverings in tournament venues, as Qatar hosted the first FIFA World Cup™ in the Middle East and Arab world.
In order to support the tournament’s sustainability goals, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) has collaborated with STP to recycle the materials – which will be turned into plastic pellets and used to create new products like tape, fabric and packaging.
According to Engineer Bodour Al Meer, the Sustainability Executive Director at SC, mega event organisers found it challenging to dispose of polyester fabric in an environmentally friendly way.
We made it a priority to find a sustainable solution – which led us to this collaboration. We are very pleased to have partnered with STP, as they are supporting our goal of recycling materials which too often end up being sent to landfill.
Based in Riyadh, STP was the nearest facility that had the ability to recycle polyester fabric used during Qatar 2022. After the tournament, the process of removing and transferring the relevant materials was conducted in close coordination with suppliers, logistics partners and customs authorities. After receiving the materials, STP began the process of transforming them into recyclable plastic.
STP Chief Executive Officer Wail Al Jaaidi said they are proud of supporting the sustainable legacy of the tournament and are delighted to partner with SC on the project, which highlights the possibility of sustainable solutions for mega events like the FIFA World Cup™.
The recycling of polyester fabric was one of numerous environmental projects organised during Qatar 2022.
Organisers recycled nearly 80% of all waste from the tournament, with the remainder sent to a waste-to-energy plant. Follow this link to learn more about the Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy.
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