Plea to organisers of sporting events over litter

Organisers of sporting events are asked to encourage participants to respect our UNESCO Biosphere.

It’s important to stay hydrated and take on sufficient nutrients when taking part in sport but litter such as discarded plastic water and energy drink bottles, plastic cups and gel packs can blight beauty spots and endanger wildlife.

Event organisers are encouraged to ask participants to avoid littering the Biosphere by including this criteria on entry forms and websites.

They are asked to encourage participants to carry reusable/refillable bottles, if that’s appropriate for the activity.

Where sporting events have water refill stations with cups, it’s recommended organisers use reusable cups and ensure there are receptacles close by into which participants can place cups when they have drunk from them. If cups are disposable, use paper or recycled plastic and provide bins for them.

Litter in Stoney Mountain Plantation (3 Pieces of Plastic)

And it’s advised that organisers cover the route of an event after it has ended, to pick up any litter participants have dropped.

Geoffrey Boot MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said: ‘We are a sporting nation and its great so many people use our Biosphere’s roads, plantations, glens and uplands for sporting events.

‘We must safeguard the beautiful appearance of our Island and protect wildlife from ingesting or becoming entangled in carelessly discarded litter.

‘We encourage organisers of sporting events of all kinds to proactively ask participants to think about the impact events have on our Biosphere and take steps to eliminate them.’

For advice, contact plastics@gov.im

Click here for the Isle of Man Government’s Single Use Plastic Reduction Plan for the Isle of Man Community.