July 27, 2023
3 minutes reading time
World Sailing pilots Equipment Recycling Hub at Allianz Sailing World Championships
World Sailing and World Sailing Trust are collaborating to set up an Equipment Recycling Hub for common but difficult to recycle sailing equipment at the 2023 Allianz Sailing World Championships. Following these Championships, the collected items will be showcased at METSTRADE to bring the issues around the recyclability of sailing equipment to the attention of the wider marine industry.
The Hub will be a test case for larger future events and is based on the work being carried out by the Carbon Fibre Circular Alliance, which is managed by the World Sailing Trust and includes four leading international federations, including World Sailing.
Five large recycling containers will be placed in the busy South Beach Boat Park in Scheveningen. Competitors at the Olympic Classes event will be able to bring their end-of-life carbon fibre, glass fibre, blocks and other fittings, rope and clothing at the EC Hub for onward recycling.
The aim will also be to collect data to understand the needs of the Olympic Classes community.
Alexandra Rickham, World Sailing Head of Sustainability, said, “The Equipment Recycling Hub is another step forward in World Sailing’s ongoing commitment to make our sport more sustainable, as outlined in the Sustainability Agenda 2030. The Hub will aim to demonstrate best practice and grow awareness and responsibility amongst teams, athletes, officials and other stakeholders, , as well as wider networks, to ultimately adopt a more sustainable approach to end-of-life equipment. As outlined in the Agenda 2030, we will require that Olympic Class manufacturers’ non-reusable or nonrecyclable boat building waste does not exceed 20% of the boat hull’s finished weight by 2030. The Equipment Circular Hub initiative will help to highlight where there are issues and help us to further focus our approach going forward.”
Jo Aleh, Chair of the World Sailing Athletes Committee, World Sailing Board member and a competitor at the World Championship event adds: “By using the Athlete Voice and supporting the recommendations from World Sailing’s Agenda 2030, we hope collectively, to be able to push manufacturers to reduce direct environmental impacts during their manufacturing processes and better integrate sustainable technologies. There is a demand from athletes of manufacturers and the wider industry for better sustainable practice including the support for increased recyclability of equipment.
To bring the issues around the recyclability of sailing equipment to the wider marine industry, World Sailing Trust and World Sailing are partnering with METSTRADE to showcase the items collected at the Allianz Sailing World Championships in a dedicated area at the Construction Material Pavilion at the show Visitors to the world’s leading marine trade show, will be asked to collaborate in brainstorming ideas for recycling these items. In addition, workshops and round table discussions with key stakeholders will be held during the show in Amsterdam, taking place 15-17 November 2023.
Dee Caffari, Chair of World Sailing Trust, concludes: “We are delighted to have the support of METSTRADE with this important initiative. Last year World Sailing Trust was awarded the DAME Design Award at the Show, so their support to highlight the critical issue of the circularity of sailing equipment is fitting this development. Through the work of the Carbon Fibre Circular Alliance, we already know that sport is the third largest user of carbon fibre and that marine sports are the second largest user in the sports sector. Therefore, highlighting not only the issues around carbon fibre, but also GRP, blocks, ropes, clothing and sails, is critical to the ongoing sustainability of our sport.”