TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS

Sustainability

Sustainability at the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS

At the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS, we’re driving change by making our event greener, cleaner, and more impactful. 2024 marked a major leap forward as we began our reporting journey under World Athletics, achieving Silver status, and calculating our carbon footprint. The results from 2024 serve as a critical benchmark, helping us reach our goal of Carbon Neutral by 2030 and reinforces our ongoing efforts to educate, engage and advance sustainability initiatives within our community.

To support this journey, we’re working with Clima to set yearly targets and implement reduction strategies. Together, we’ll work to minimise emissions where possible and explore offsetting strategies - working to balance the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) produced with the amount removed from the atmosphere.

Sustainability is a critical theme for Marathons worldwide, as rising global temperatures and escalating extreme weather conditions are increasingly impacting the safety and feasibility of large-scale events. These challenges underscore the urgency of collective climate action.

Looking ahead, we’re aiming even higher — our goal is to achieve Carbon Neutral by 2030, becoming industry leaders and ensuring the TCS Sydney Marathon leaves a lasting, positive legacy for the planet.

Recognition of our sustainability efforts

The TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS has achieved Silver Status in our sustainability efforts last year. This is in recognition of the growing environmental challenges that the world faces today, specifically air pollution, climate change and our overconsumption of resources.

Find out more

Year-round sustainability actions

Sustainability doesn’t stop when the race ends.

At the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS, we believe lasting impact comes from consistent, everyday action. That’s why our sustainability initiatives run year-round -inspiring behaviour change, building community, and driving meaningful environmental outcomes long after race day.

Pledge for the Planet

We have teamed up with Pledge for the Planet to challenge runners and supporters to take climate-conscious action - because training isn’t just about kms, it’s about commitment.

Here’s how it works:
1. Make a pledge (ditch single-use, switch to renewables, ride your bike, etc.)
2. Share a photo or story of your action using #RunTheTalk
3. Be in the draw to access sold-out 2025 marathon entries, weekly
prizes, and the chance to inspire thousands

It’s not too late, join the challenge now

Climate Action Week Sydney 2025

To kick off Climate Action Week, the event organisers of the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS - Pont3 - headed to Manly Beach in Sydney, to take action and demonstrate how change starts at the community level.

From clean-ups to education, we’re committed to making sustainability part of our culture, not just our operations - and we invite everyone to take part.

What we're doing in 2025

Waste management

In partnership with our waste management team at Clean Vibes, we've implemented 4 distinct waste streams at the event, along with bale bags and specialised recycling bins for paper cups & gel wrappers at all aid stations. This ensures proper waste separation and recycling, as well as keeping the course clean for all participants. In 2024, 82.93% of event day waste was diverted away from landfill, with the course alone achieving a diversion rate of over 95% - an incredible result!

Pre-loved running shoes?

Bring your pre-loved runners to the Sustainability Booth at the expo - we’ll have dedicated collection boxes, with all shoes donated to Shoes 4 Planet Earth, helping those in need while keeping quality footwear out of landfill.

Start line clothing collection
Don’t want to carry your warm layers during the race? Place them in the clothing collection bins located in your assembly area or along the start line chute. We’ll gather all pre-loved clothing and donate to the Salvation Army, helping those in need while keeping usable clothing out of landfill. All we ask is that you place your clothing in the bins provided and help keep the course clear - please don’t throw items on the ground.

Drink stations
The TCS Sydney Marathon is working closely with Clean Vibes and our volunteer teams to ensure that we keep the course - and your city clean - but we need you to do your bit to help us achieve this. If everyone helps put their rubbish in the correct place, this will help contain the waste and make for a quicker clean-up for everyone. In 2024, over 95% of course waste was diverted away from landfill - an incredible result and let's top that!

Paper cups go into bale bags

Gel wrappers go into purple bins. Missed the gel bin? Hold onto your empty wrapper and bin it at the next station or at the Recycling Hub in the Recovery Village

Don't knock over full cups – be mindful, stay hydrated, and help reduce water waste

A plogging team will jog the course post-race picking up waste – but don’t leave it to them. Let’s aim to bin it right before they do. Last year they picked up 750+ gel wrappers… let’s make that 0 in 2025.

Recycling Hub & Recovery Village
New in 2025, a centralised Recycling Hub will be in the Recovery Village with dedicated bins for bibs, bags, bottle lids, gel wrappers and more. Staffed by our amazing volunteer team of Waste Warriors to help sorting, let’s limit the amount of waste being sent to landfill.

Circularity in action - Baggage & Finisher Bags
In 2025, all baggage and finisher bags distributed at the event are made from recycled ocean-bound plastic with Better Packaging Co., supporting a closed-loop, circular economy that gives waste a second life. The TCS Sydney Marathon 2025 has:

Used over 1,387 kg of ocean-bound plastic

Saved approximately 1,942 kg CO₂e compared to virgin plastic

In the recovery village, simply take your bags to the Recycling Hub collection bins so it can be collected, cleaned, reprocessed and reused.
What is POLLAST!C? Click here to find out more!

Circularity in action - Finisher Bottles & Plastic Lids
Your finisher bottles are made from 100% recycled PET - but that’s just the beginning. Help us take it further.
- Remove the lid (sipper and cap included)
- Place the bottle in our Return and Earn bins - For every bottle collected through the Return and Earn scheme, $0.10 is donated to TriMob, a Mob-led organisation dedicated to powering the Mob through swim, bike, run
- Place all lid components into the dedicated plastic lid bins – these lids will be transformed into something epic for the TCS Sydney Marathon in
2026 - stay tuned to see how your race day helps shape the next!

Resource Management - Renewable Energy
In 2024, we introduced 6 x solar-powered generators at selected locations along the course, harnessing renewable energy to power the event sustainably. In 2025, we’re expanding further, with solar generators also powering operations at the start venue and within the recovery village. This is part of our long-term plan to phase out diesel/petrol generators.

Sustainable travel
Getting to the start line shouldn’t cost the planet.
Whether you're flying in or hopping on the metro, every travel decision matters - and we’ve made it easier than ever to choose sustainably.
Smarter flights to greener meals, hotel choices and reusable gear – we’ve created a guide to help you make every travel choice count. Free public transport is provided to all participants and volunteers on event day with TfNSW.
Through our partnerships with Porsche and Fonz, all-electric lead vehicles are used. And continuing from 2024, spectators are encouraged to use e-bikes, with Lime Bike hubs placed strategically around the course for easy access.

Digital Transformation
By moving from print to digital event guides, we're reducing paper waste and lowering our overall environmental impact.

Community Engagement
The TCS Sydney Marathon’s Local Business Program supported over 50 local businesses in 2024 by providing opportunities to engage with the marathon community, boosting visibility and driving local economic growth.

Run Clubs

The TCS Sydney Marathon Run Clubs are central to our community engagement efforts, providing an inclusive space for runners of all levels. These monthly gatherings foster physical and emotional well-being, build connections, and help participants prepare for race day. To continue this legacy, three organised plogging runs were carried out across the week post event - supporting a cleaner environment. Approximately 750 gel wrappers were collected in 2024, made possible by the incredible community support and involvement!

Access and Inclusion
Committed to inclusivity, the TCS Sydney Marathon offers a range of Access & Inclusion policies to ensure that everyone can participate. Our Duo Policy allows individuals with mobility impairments to race alongside a partner, while our Pregnancy and Postpartum policy provides options for deferrals. We connect low vision and blind athletes with guides through our Assisted Participant policy, and welcome wheelchair users across all distances, including race wheelchairs for elite athletes.
As a participant, what can you do to make a positive impact? Follow these simple five steps to get started.

Plan your trip!

Use your free public transport pass, walk, bike or choose a green rideshare option.

Don't be a tosser!

Use bale bags for cups and purple bins for gel wrappers.

Recycle!

Ask a Waste Warrior for help, and use our recycling hub for in the recovery village.

Close the loop!

Take your baggage and finisher bags to the recycling hub – they’ll be collected, cleaned, and given a second life. Don’t forget to separate your plastic bottle lids – these too will be upcycled into something new for the TCS Sydney Marathon 2026!

Charity Support
Bring your old runners to the expo. Hand over warm layers at the start line for donation.
82.93% of event day waste was diverted away from landfill. The course alone achieved a diversion rate of over 95%, with improved waste collection strategies like bale bags and gel wrapper bins at every aid station along the marathon course (6 x 240L bins of gel wrappers collected)

750 + gel packets collected from 3 organised plogging runs across post event week

43,869 eligible bottles collected through the return and earn scheme = $4,386.90 donated to TriMob

15,000 garments donated to Salvation Army

4 x all electric Porsche and 2 x Fonz bikes used in the lead vehicle fleet

18.62% of event electricity sourced from renewables, including 6 x solar powered generators replacing diesel generators across entertainment sites

Public transport provided for all participants and volunteers

Engaged Lime Bike to provide eBike transportation options for spectators on marathon day - zero carbon emission mode of transport

1000 trees planted through ReForest Now, nearly 2 x above 2023 results

2,300 finisher bags donated to Food Bank Australia

Water refill stations at the start venue and throughout the RBG for runners to fill up water bottles

Dedicated recycling finisher bag and bib bins within the RBG

Carbon footprint calculated, providing us with benchmark data to set realistic targets towards reaching our goal of net zero by 2030
Our sustainability journey is more than a set of initiatives; it’s a collective effort that involves everyone - participants, volunteers, spectators, partners, and stakeholders. By making small changes, everyone can play a big part in this journey. We aim to promote awareness and education, empowering our community to become champions of sustainability through pro-environmental behaviour.

As part of this commitment, in 2024 we launched the TCS Sydney Marathon goIT Challenge in partnership with the NSW Department of Education, encouraging school-aged students to develop creative sustainability solutions for the marathon. We’re excited to have launched another goIT challenge for 2025!

Additionally, the TCS Sustainathon provides a platform for youth to collaborate with private companies, non-profits, and government agencies to tackle real-world sustainability challenges using technology.

These initiatives are just the beginning. We are constantly evolving, looking ahead, and planning for the future. Together, we can make the TCS Sydney Marathon not just a race, but a movement toward a more sustainable future.

We invite you to stay tuned as we continue to refine our strategies and introduce new initiatives. Together, we can make a significant impact! Together, we grow. When we win today, Sydney wins on race day - and our planet wins every day.

Secure your 2026 entry through our Official Travel Partners

Travel with one of our Official Travel Partners to guarantee your entry through specially curated travel packages. These packages are ideal for runners and friends and family, providing a seamless marathon weekend experience. Select a Travel Partner that supports your region.

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