Twickenham-Lyfecycle sustainability benchmark

Article posted by Coliseum, May 12^th, 2023

Image: Twickenham Stadium

The Twickenham Stadium in Twickenham, England (UK) together with the non-profit Lyfecycle, are turning the stadiums plastic cup event waste into team benches for use across grassroots rugby. The move follows the launch last year of its ‘self-destructing’ plastic cup, but this time plastic waste is transformed for use in the youth game.

‘Twickenham Stadium’ stated that the above announcement is just the latest in a series of innovations from the venue, which both promote circular solutions to events-based waste, but also leave purposeful legacies. Now, following the rollout of the new benches, event planners can see the direct benefit of their event in grassroots sport, adding to the legacy benefits of holding an event at the Twickenham Stadium.

The 82,000-capacity Twickenham Stadium in Twickenham, South-West London, England (UK), is a rugby union stadium owned by the Rugby Football Union, the English rugby union governing body, which has its headquarters there. The England national rugby union team plays their home matches at the stadium.

The 2023 Coliseum Summit Europe was held at the Twickenham Stadium, UK, from March 22^nd-23^rd.

Lyfecycle aim is to put a stop to fugitive plastics on land before they ever get into the oceans.

Commented Nils Braude, Managing Director, Twickenham Stadium, “It’s important that all of our customers know that every time they hold an event in Twickenham, they are directly and positively affecting grassroots rugby. It’s not always as visible as this, so it’s nice to give them a picture – literally – of their waste being transformed from rubbish to a really useful piece of kit for local rugby.”

Nils Braude, Managing Director, Twickenham Stadium, UK, is a Member of Coliseum – Global Sports Venue Alliance.

‘Twickenham Stadium’ further stated that Twickenham Stadium’s cups used at the Autumn Nations Series were collected and repurposed into sustainable benches with the help of Lyfecycle and their community recycling partners Impact Solutions and Circular 11. The cups were cleaned and shredded before being mixed with recycled plastic. This mixture was then melted and shaped into planks for the bench.

The benches themselves are comfortable, robust and able to be used for multiple seasons by the clubs they go to.

Commented Connor Winter, Co-founder at Circular 11, “The bench is expected to last for decades, but when it eventually reaches the end of its life, it can be recycled into a new timber alternative product. We may battle it out on the pitch, but the fight against plastic pollution requires all of us to be on the same team. This unique donation from Twickenham Stadium and Lyfecycle will serve as a reminder that we can all make a difference, no matter how big the challenge may seem. Just as we tackle our opponents with determination, we must also tackle the issue of plastic waste. Together, we can create a cleaner and more sustainable world for generations to come.”

Concluded Braude, “The Twickenham Stadium is proud to be at the forefront of sustainability efforts in the sports industry. However, we recognize that this achievement would not have been possible without the support of our guests. By participating in our recycling and waste reduction efforts, they have shown their commitment to a more sustainable future. We hope that this bench will serve as a powerful symbol of the positive impact that we can create when we work together as a team – both on and off the field.”

The Lyfecycle benches are already being used as part of the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU’s) ‘Good for Rugby’ initiative and are benefiting clubs around the United Kingdom.

The Rugby Football Union is the national governing body for rugby union in England, UK. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport’s international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby in 1886. It is based at the Twickenham Stadium.

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