A total of 173 tonnes of promotional items used in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 are being recycled by a Saudi company, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) said on Sunday.
These polyester fabric materials were previously used as wraps, banners, and fence coverings in stadiums and other venues, the SC, responsible for the delivery of required infrastructure and Qatar’s planning and operations for hosting the tournament, said in a press release.
“In the past, mega event organizers found it challenging to dispose of polyester fabric in an eco-friendly way,” SC’s Sustainability Executive Director Bodour Al Meer was quoted as saying.
“We made it a priority to find a sustainable solution, which led us to this collaboration,” he added, referring to the cooperation with Saudi Top Plastics, one of the biggest plastic recycling companies in Saudi Arabia.
The recycled materials will be converted into plastic pellets for making new products, such as tape and packaging, the SC clarified.
It added that nearly 80 percent of the tournament waste was recycled, with the remainder sent to a waste-to-energy plant.