Several sustainability projects were put into practice at the 35th anniversary edition of the Powerman Zofingen. The recycling of beverage containers was successfully tackled. Environmentally friendly solutions have also been found for the cups and water supply, and waste has been reduced.
Around 2000 beverage containers are produced as waste at the two-day Powerman Zofingen. Until last year’s event, the bidons were disposed of with the normal waste and then incinerated. At the Long Distance Duathlon World Championships, it is not possible to wash and reuse the beverage bidons. “I’m very happy that the volunteers at the refreshment stations are thinking along with me and have drawn my attention to the waste problem with the bidons,” explains Cornelia Zinniker, who is responsible for catering at the Powerman Zofingen. After a lengthy search, this year the Powerman organizers were able to find a recycling solution for the bidons with the company Kunststoffsammelsack Schweiz GmbH. The company from Altdorf supplied plastic collection bags before the Powerman. The beverage bidons used and thrown away by the athletes were collected during the races and filled into the collection bags. This allowed the recycling cycle to begin.
Hundreds of bidons in the collection bags at the Powerman Zofingen 2024
Reuse as plastic granulate
The full bags were then collected by REWAG from Oftringen and handed over to their partner company, Kunststoffsammelsack Schweiz GmbH, for recycling. The used bidons are then processed further. The plastic is used to produce high-quality recycled pellets, which are suitable for various applications in the household, garden, construction and industrial sectors. For example, the granulates can be used to produce plastic sheets or household items. The drinks bidons from the Powerman Zofingen therefore live on as laundry baskets, for example.
Paper cups and less PET waste
The Powerman Zofingen has also strengthened sustainability and environmental friendliness in other areas. At the outposts on the running course, drinks were served exclusively in paper cups and no longer in plastic cups. In addition, water from the tap or hydrant could be used to mix the isotonic drinks. This is not a matter of course, as the World Triathlon Federation wants bottled mineral water to be used for mixing for health reasons. However, because tap water in Switzerland is of impeccable drinking water quality and the municipalities of Reitnau and Zofingen had confirmed this, it was possible to use water directly from the tap at the Powerman. A lot of PET waste was saved in this way. This year, over 300 liters of isotonic drink were served at the Reitnau aid station on the bike course. This would have required 200 PET water bottles.
Paper cup at a refreshment stand at the Powerman Zofingen 2024