How many hydration gel sachets will be used at the London Marathon?
Approximately 60,000 runners are set to take part in the London Marathon this weekend, with the number of participants growing every year.1
With energy gel sachets used by over 72% of marathon runners,2 and a recommended average of ten sachets for the 26.2-mile race,3 this means an estimated 432,000 hydration sachets will be used on Sunday.
Lined up end-to-end, this would cover a distance of 37.6 miles, that’s the length of roughly one and a half marathons. With each sachet weighing around 30-45g,2 this is around 16.2 tonnes of waste, or around the same weight as 12.5 cars.
Why are hydration gel sachets a problem?
Most gel packets are packaged in multi-layered materials combining plastic and aluminium foil.4 This makes the materials difficult to separate and therefore makes the sachets hard to recycle. Therefore, any disposed sachets will likely go on to be landfilled or incinerated.
As many gel sachets contain aluminium foil, which is energy-intensive to mine and process, binning these packages is a huge waste of resources.
Not only this, but the products often come with tear-off tabs, which are commonly ripped off and end up littered. Due to the small size, these tabs are hard for post-race teams to clear up and can end up finding their way into our natural environment. These can then go on to contribute to microplastic pollution, harmful to both humans and animals.
Alongside this, any whole or partial sachets that are littered present a risk to wildlife that are attracted to the sweet scent and taste of the gel residue inside.
What can you do to reduce your waste?
- Consider refillable gel pouches - Some companies, such as Kendal Mint Co now offer refillable pouches for their energy gels. This vastly reduces the amount of packaging created and binned.
- Don’t fully tear off tabs - Always try to keep the tab of your energy sachet attached, it’s then easier to ensure you keep hold of the whole package to dispose of later.
- Always take your litter with you - Even though marathon events have clean-up teams for after races finish, you should always carry energy gel packets (and other litter where possible) with you until you find a bin. Packaging can cause harm to wildlife, blow away, or release microplastics into the environment.
- Use an alternative energy snack - While energy gels are a popular choice for runners due to their convenience and efficiency, disposable options do generate a large amount of packaging waste. Popular alternatives include DIY versions, sweets, bananas and dates.
What can the industry do?
18% of market developments now focus on packaging optimisation for sustainability improvements,2 but with such huge usage, the industry needs to act quickly.
- Work with recycling specialists: Companies like TerraCycle have begun to provide specific collections of gel packets. The recycling of these sachets requires specialised chemical processes to separate the plastic and foil. Race organisers can work with local providers to help create dedicated collection points.
- Provide refill stations: Event organisers could look to work with gel brands to create refill stations and encourage the use of refillable pouches.
- Adjust packaging: At the very least, brands can look to redesign packaging to ensure the tab always remains attached, helping to ease the issue of littering.
Mark Hall, waste management expert, comments on packaging waste:
“Running a marathon is a great personal achievement, and for those running for charities, it helps to raise funds for worthy causes. However, many don’t think about the environmental footprint of participating.
“Event organisers do work hard to try to reduce waste by working to provide bottle recycling, donating old clothes, or providing street cleaning teams, but the popularity of running gels has seen a new problem arise.”
“While these products can make for an easy and essential energy hit, the packaging they come in makes disposal challenging. With runners needing an average of ten sachets (some people even more) we’re urging runners to consider alternatives and reminding event organisers of the need to address the waste generated from these.”