Podiums for 2020 Tokyo Games to be made from used plastics

June 11, 2019

Tokyo--The organizing committee for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games said Tuesday that recycled plastics will be used to create podiums for the quadrennial sporting event.

Some 45 tons of plastic materials will be needed to create about 100 podiums. Collection of the materials will start at some 2,000 Aeon Co. <8267> group retail outlets from June 19 this year.

The collection will cover plastic bottles and refill containers of detergents and haircare products of U.S. home goods maker Procter & Gamble Co. and other companies. Plastic bottles for drinks will not be collected.

The Tokyo committee has concluded a contract with P&G, a worldwide partner of the International Olympic Committee at the highest level of sponsorship.

An estimated 1.5 million bottles are considered necessary to amass 45 tons.

By also using ocean plastic waste held by P&G, the Tokyo committee hopes to improve awareness of the problem of ocean waste.

According to the committee, this will be the first attempt to create Olympic and Paralympic podiums with recycled plastics. In past games, podiums were normally made of wood. Jiji Press