Grundon proudly supported the 2026 Brighton Marathon in delivering waste and recycling services, achieving an impressive 86% recycling rate along the marathon route.
Reflecting on the event Kate Chapman, Head of Sustainability at London Marathon Events, organisers of the Brighton Marathon, said,
“Grundon played a key role in helping us deliver a more sustainable event. Their expertise and on-the-ground support ensured waste was managed effectively across all areas and once taken away treated in the most environmentally responsible way possible.”
Kate Chapman
Head of Sustainability, London Marathon Events
This impact was echoed by Joe Powell, Events Sales Manager at Grundon, who explained: “Achieving an 86% recycling rate at a large-scale public event like the Brighton Marathon is an exceptional accomplishment. Public-facing events are inherently complex environments, where high footfall, varied waste streams, and limited control over attendee behaviour make sustainability targets particularly challenging to reach. This milestone is a testament to what’s possible with the right planning, partnerships, and on-the-ground execution.”
Joe continues: “With over 14,000 participants, plus spectators spread across the coastal city, the operation required a highly coordinated approach between London Marathon Events and Grundon. Alongside operational efficiency, a key objective for the event was to maximise recycling rates, and I’m thrilled that together we’ve achieved both of these.”
A dedicated team of ten Grundon colleagues supported the event, with seven on-site during event day and three working overnight to install waste containers ahead of the start. To meet strict time constraints, operations were split across two Grundon teams: the marathon route was managed by Grundon’s local depot in West Sussex while the start and finish areas were overseen by its dedicated Special Events team.
A fleet of vehicles, including waste wheelers, an artic lorry and a flatbed, enabled continuous waste collection throughout the event, as well as efficient container movement before and after. This ensured bins were regularly emptied and key areas remained clear from overflowing waste.
Joe concludes: “This is a result worth celebrating and Brighton Marathon should be particularly proud. Additionally, I want to recognise and thank our own team for their dedication, expertise, and hard work throughout the event. Success like this is always a collective effort.”
Following the event, each waste stream was processed via Grundon’s network of facilities. General waste was diverted to Energy from Waste to generate electricity for the National Grid, while dry mixed recycling was sorted at Grundon’s Materials Recovery Facility before being sent to specialist reprocessors to be turned into new products. Food waste was treated via Anaerobic Digestion, producing bio-fertiliser used by UK farmers, and compostable materials were processed into compost through Grundon’s partnership with Envar.
The overall results were strong, with an 86% recycling rate along the route and a combined rate of 61.4% across the start, route and finish areas. These figures are particularly notable for a public-facing event, where influencing public disposal behaviour can be challenging.