Paris Marathon goes plastic‑free
The Marathon de Paris on April 12 will host a record ~60,000 runners and is going fully plastic‑free — participants must bring reusable bottles while hydration stations remain on course. Organizers say the policy is meant to set a new eco standard, though early tests of alternative hydration cups produced mixed durability and safety feedback. (olympics.com) (paris.fr)
The race layout includes 13 refreshment points broken down as 9 full refreshment stations, 4 dedicated water points and 2 TA Energy stations, with full stations extended to roughly 160 metres to reduce crowding and shorten distances between stops in the second half of the course. (schneiderelectricparismarathon.com)) Organisers will deploy refill ramps, volunteer-operated filling points and cooling systems at stations to deliver liquids quickly while preserving hygiene, rather than handing out pre-filled single-use containers. (schneiderelectricparismarathon.com)) An elite-style service will be extended to non-elite runners targeting sub‑2h50: pre-filled bottles will be available for those in the preferred wave (start ≤ 8:03 a.m.) who maintain a 4:01/km pace, and used bottles must be deposited in dedicated recovery zones roughly 150 metres past each station or face disqualification. (schneiderelectricparismarathon.com)) Organisers say trials of reusable and pre-filled cups dating back to 2022 revealed problems — some reusable cups cracked or fell and created trip hazards, and runners reported difficulty managing a cup while running without spilling. (paris.fr)) Paris city documents note that previous editions handed out on the order of several hundred thousand single-use bottles (figures cited around 500,000–700,000), a volume that drove the multi-year strategy to eliminate disposable bottles and test interim paper-cup solutions. (paris.fr)) Thomas Delpeuch, director of the race at organiser A.S.O., says planning and tests began in 2022 and the final logistics will rely on roughly 700 volunteers stationed across the 13 aid points to manage refills and recover used containers. (paris.fr)) French sports outlets and organisers framed the revised support model as an unprecedented change for an event of this size when it was announced in October 2025. (leparisien.fr))
