Sustainable resource management at the European Aquatics Championships Rome 2022
Sustainability projects for a reduced-impact international sporting event
European Aquatics Championships Rome 2022
The context
The objectives
Circularity's contribution
The results
European Aquatics Championships Rome 2022
The LEN European Aquatics Championships Rome 2022 brought thousands of athletes, spectators and operators to the heart of Rome, at the Foro Italico, for one of the most prestigious international aquatics competitions. A world-class sporting stage that Circularity accompanied as official Sustainability Partner, turning the event into a concrete laboratory for applied sustainability.
The context
Large-scale sporting events inevitably generate significant environmental impacts: high energy consumption, waste production, food surplus. Organising the 2022 European Aquatics Championships was also an opportunity — to demonstrate that even events of this scale can actively contribute to sustainable development goals, producing positive outcomes for the community and the environment that hosts them.
The objectives
To organise the European Championships with the highest regard for environmental sustainability, activating concrete and measurable actions across four strategic areas: circular economy, responsible resource management, social inclusivity and transparent governance.
Circularity's contribution
As official Sustainability Partner, Circularity designed, activated and monitored an integrated system of initiatives aimed at reducing waste and applying the principles of the circular economy throughout all phases of the event:
Plastic recycling with eco-compactors
Eco-compactors for the selective collection of PET bottles and aluminium were installed in the Commercial Village at the Foro Italico. The system significantly reduced the volume of materials, optimising the entire recycling process.
Food surplus recovery
All leftover food from the event's refreshment points was recovered and redistributed in collaboration with non-profit charitable organisations, providing concrete support to people in need and effectively eliminating food waste generated by the event.
Cigarettes collection and upcycling
Dedicated smokers-point collection stations were installed for the systematic collection of cigarette butts, which were subsequently processed through a recycling and upcycling system that transforms them into new material for the production of new objects.
Next-generation sustainable energy system
In collaboration with CGTE SpA – Gruppo TESYA, the event was powered by a state-of-the-art integrated energy system, with units built in 2022 and fully automated, remotely operated electrical systems. The system ensured uninterrupted service for RAI broadcast facilities and the Italian Swimming Federation, with a dramatically reduced environmental footprint compared to standard technologies.
The results
On the energy front, the comparison with the best available technologies in 2020 speaks for itself: CO₂ emissions were reduced by 25%, nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 90%, hydrocarbons by 75% and fine particulate matter by 95%. A result that demonstrates how the choice of energy technologies is a decisive lever for event sustainability.
On the social front, the systematic recovery of food surplus ensured that no resource went to waste, turning leftover food from refreshment points into concrete support for those most in need. The European Aquatics Championships Rome 2022 thus proved that world-class sporting performance and environmental responsibility are not only compatible — they can reinforce each other.
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