GENERAL NEWS
03/09/2022

TSG and sustainability partner PreZero aiming for Germany's first "Zero Waste Stadium"

TSG Hoffenheim and their stadium sponsor want to take a decisive step on the path to certified sustainability by turning the PreZero Arena in Sinsheim into the Bundesliga's first ''Zero Waste Stadium''.

"Together we want to develop the PreZero Arena into an even stronger hub of sustainability. In addition to resource-saving stadium operations, the issues of environmental protection and waste avoidance are also the focus of our ambitious goals," says TSG managing director Denni Strich. "We view the pledge made by our partner PreZero as a commitment for us as a club: 'A new way of thinking for a clean tomorrow' forms the framework for this groundbreaking project, in which we also hope for active support from our fans." In the future, the 68 to 100 tonnes of waste generated each year at TSG home games will be eliminated as far as possible or collected separately, sorted and sent for recycling. The project to turn the PreZero Arena into a "zero waste" stadium is now being addressed across the board. This requires innovative ideas and pioneering new approaches.

"Together with TSG, we want to make the PreZero Arena a forward-thinking hub of sustainability and resource efficiency. That's why we're pursuing the goal of establishing a zero-waste stadium in future," said Thomas Kyriakis, CEO of PreZero: "We want to live sustainability, conserve resources, avoid waste and promote a circular economy. From the club to the fan, everyone benefits from a future in which we preserve the environment and resources." When employees at the PreZero Arena collect waste after the team's upcoming home games, it will not be thrown away; instead it will be sent to the laboratory. A team of experts will take an open-minded approach as they attempt to tackle the question of how the waste can be turned into useful recyclables in an efficient recycling process.

The two partners launched an exemplary project back in January 2020. The almost 30,000 drinking cups required for a sold-out stadium, which were previously made of a material not suitable for recycling, have since been replaced by cups made of resistant polyethylene that can be reused up to 400 times. The innovative reusable cup system avoids the waste of a total of around half-a-million cups per season. Another symbol of the "new way of thinking" is the manner in which the grass cuttings produced on TSG's pitches are collected, dried and then processed into autograph cards for the players in a paper factory. Significantly less water and chemicals are used in the production process than was previously the case.

TSG and PreZero are creating transparency and are being accompanied on their way to becoming a "Zero Waste Arena" by independent experts and assessors. The aim is to achieve certification in accordance with DIN Spec 91436 by Dekra auditors, who will assess the company's waste and recyclables management. "The approach aligns perfectly with our future strategy 'TSG is movement'. We are taking this path full of excitement and with the firm desire to learn something new every day. We're enjoying learning with our partner PreZero and, above all, together with our fans," emphasises Denni Strich. A study conducted by the University of Mannheim in November 2020 showed that football fans approve of Bundesliga clubs' commitment to sustainability. 75% of the football fans surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that clubs should get involved in this field.

Download Now!
Print Page to top