This summer, Paris is captivating the world not only as the host of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, but also for its sustainability efforts. With the Eiffel Tower glowing in lights and a cleaner Seine doubling as a swimming pool, the French capital is welcoming 15 million fans who are eager to watch athletes strive for Olympic glory. While this influx of visitors is great for the economy, it poses significant challenges for the city’s waste management system.
Managing Olympic Waste: A Daunting Task
During the Games, athletes, fans, and staff are expected to generate a substantial amount of waste, adding to the 3,000 tonnes of daily rubbish the city already handles. This waste will be either recycled, composted, incinerated, or, as a last resort, sent to a landfill. In such a scenario, waste incineration with energy recovery becomes a crucial ally in managing large-scale events like the Olympics.
The Role of Waste-to-Energy in Paris
Waste-to-Energy (WtE) technology treats non-recyclable waste, converting it into energy and valuable secondary raw materials. This process reduces the amount of rubbish going to landfills, preserves land space, and mitigates environmental pollution. In Paris, WtE plays a key role in the city’s energy needs, generating heat, steam, and electricity from waste, while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Paris has three WtE plants that process 1.8 million tonnes of waste annually, providing heating for 300,000 homes, public buildings, the Louvre, and the city's main hospital. Collectively, these plants prevent 900,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.
Key Facilities Supporting the Games
The Isséane plant, located in Issy-les-Moulineaux, processes 510,000 tonnes of waste annually and produces 1 million tons of steam and 46 GWh of electricity. The Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine plant treats 600 kt of household waste per year, recovering 1.2 million tonnes of steam and 10,000 MWh of electricity. The Ivry-sur-Seine facility, Europe’s largest WtE plant, handles up to 730,000 tonnes of waste annually, serving over 11.4 million people.
Setting a New Standard for Olympic Waste Management
Paris is determined to create a new sustainability paradigm for the Games, following the motto: “The best waste is the waste that is not produced.” This goal is essential to halving CO₂ emissions compared to previous Olympics. Organizers are reducing waste by promoting responsible consumption, enhancing recycling, and encouraging better waste sorting.
To extend the life cycle of materials used during the Games, all catering equipment and infrastructure will be reused afterward. The Games will reduce single-use plastic by 50% and minimize food waste by carefully matching quantities to needs, with leftover food redistributed.
In addition, Paris has committed to using 95% pre-existing infrastructure, with only the Aquatic Centre being newly constructed. The athletes’ medals, made from 100% recycled metal, feature fragments from the Eiffel Tower, adding a unique historical touch to their design.
The Games are also powered entirely by renewable energy, and the city has added 400km of new bike lanes to promote sustainable mobility. All venues are accessible by public transport or bike, further minimizing the transport carbon footprint.
A Legacy for Future Games
As the Games conclude, waste will be the lasting reminder of Olympic triumphs and challenges. But if Paris succeeds in its sustainability efforts, the amount of waste left behind will be significantly less than in previous Olympics. Materials that once bore witness to athletic glory will find new life, leaving Paris with a lasting legacy for future Games to follow.
