Revving up recycling at the 2024 Formula 1 Grand Prix
Tying together circular solutions and innovative waste education to highlight sustainability at Melbourne’s most loved racing event.
Northcote Local Food Garden accepting the delivery of ground coffee diverted from the Grand Prix, with Reground's Operations Supervisor Josh.
As Melbourne embraced the excitement of the 2024 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, Reground and the F1 team were committed to integrating circular economy principles into this iconic event, setting a new benchmark for sustainability at large-scale gatherings.
Reground’s initiatives were focused on three key areas:
Collections of Ground Coffee and Soft Plastics: Efficiently recovering resources to keep them in the local circular economy.
Manned Recycling Stations: Promoting proper waste disposal and minimising contamination.
Circular Economy Education at the Innovation Hub: Engaging attendees through interactive learning and discussion.
Manned recycling station.
This year's Grand Prix was powered by adrenaline and coffee, with a significant increase in coffee consumption. Reground collected 740 kilograms of ground coffee, up by 120 kilograms from the previous year - thereby avoiding 1,406 kilograms of emissions. All recovered ground coffee was delivered to Northcore Local Food Garden, to support soil health in fruit and vegetable plots.
Reground operated five manned recycling stations, strategically placed to educate and assist patrons in correctly sorting their waste. Each station featured bins for four waste streams: general waste, mixed recycling, food and organics, and container deposit (CDS).
Visual waste audits were performed before each bin was emptied. The audits revealed that food waste, CDS aluminium, and cardboard were the most prevalent materials found in streams - while food-contaminated packaging was the largest source of contamination. Many patrons expressed a lack of knowledge about proper recycling, underscoring the need for accessible recycling education at large-scale events.
Throughout the week, Reground’s team engaged both students and general attendees at the Innovation Hub - utilising interactive games and open dialogue to communicate the importance of circular economy practices.
A highlight at the Hub was the cornhole game, designed to teach students and attendees about correct recycling methods through fun and friendly competition. This interactivity helped debunk common recycling myths and emphasised the importance of resource recovery.
For adult patrons, a display featuring a pile of recovered coffee grounds sparked curiosity and conversation about coffee waste recycling. These interactions significantly increased general awareness about the benefits of upcycling ground coffee.
Innovation Hub stall and cornhole game manned by Project Assistant Rebecca.
Outcomes
740 kilograms of ground coffee diverted from landfill.
1,406 kilograms of emissions avoided.
20,556 lattes saved from landfill.
10 kilograms of soft plastic recovered.
Reground is eager to continue providing best-practice ground coffee resource recovery at the upcoming MotoGP event in Phillip Island this October.