Westminster City Council has recycled 70,000 plastic water bottles which were discarded by thirsty runners in last weekend’s London Marathon – enough to make 16,000 umbrellas, 1,300 fleece jackets or 33 picnic tables.
The Council also collected and recycled more than a tonne of cardboard which has been turned into more cardboard packaging.
In an effort to encourage crowds to play their part in the clean-up operation 14 special recycling points were placed along the route. Any bottles left on the ground were removed by the Council’s 40-strong street cleaning team, which includes 23 manual sweepers and 14 vehicles.
In addition to the bottles and packaging Westminster say their staff cleaned up over 5 tonne’s worth of litter.
Dr Leith Penny, Westminster Council’s Director of Environment and Leisure, said: “Every year, the London Marathon is a very special day for London. As ever, we are working behind the scenes to ensure that the event constitutes a fun day out for runners and for spectators alike, and that the only thing the participants have to worry about is reaching the finishing line.
“But the Council works to achieve a Marathon standard of cleanliness every day of the year. Keeping our streets clean isn’t just important when there are special events – it’s important 24-hours a day, every day of the year to ensure that the heart of London is clean and tidy for residents, business and visitors alike”.
