Page 65 - Plastics News August 2024
P. 65
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
ticulously sorted by colour and creatively incor- residents access to swimming after the Games.
porated into the final product. The eco-friend-
ly seats now adorn two Olympic arenas – the But how did plastic play a role in this? Low-densi-
Olympic Aquatic Centre in Seine-Saint-Denis ty expanded polystyrene can serve as a cushion
and the Arena at Porte de la Chapelle in Paris. between the ground and foundations, effective-
ly reducing pressure on structures due to clay
After turning literal trash into treasure, the or- heave, shrinkage, or other soil movements. The
ganising committee made a generous decision... innovative application of expanded polystyrene
In a region where half of 11-year-olds do not (Pecavoid) - served as robust formwork during
know how to swim, the Seine-Saint-Denis swim- concrete pouring, creating a protective void for
ming pools will be gifted to the local community the construction of the Basin of Austerlitz.
after the 2024 Games end.
Stories of triumph and perseverance are not only
2024 Olympic Aquatics Centre, Paris emerging from the participants of Paris 2024.
The sustainability mission of the entire event
was designed with the environment at its core.
Plastics have been instrumental in shaping the
Water Treatment for Swimming – Plastics in the
Construction of Austerlitz Basin
Following the recent record-breaking summer
rainfall in the Paris region, the water quality in
the river Seine has fallen below the standards set
by public health authorities and World Aquatics. 2024 Olympics and will hopefully inspire future
organising committees of the endless possibili-
To safeguard the well-being of swimmers, the ties that plastic recycling, reuse and innovation
Basin of Austerlitz development project was ini- can achieve.
tiated. The Austerlitz storage basin has the ca-
pacity to hold the equivalent of twenty Olympic Regardless of the medal, making strides in sport
swimming pools of water. This innovative reser- will be in the hands – and around the necks –
voir empowers event organisers to proactively of not only the athletes but also the organising
manage extreme weather conditions by pre- committee for their implementation of sustain-
venting the discharge of wastewater into the able practices for Olympic events today and in
Seine during heavy rainfall. Improving the water the future.
quality allows for the summer swimming com- SOURCE - BPF
petitions in the Seine River and will later grant
August 2024 PLASTICS NEWS 67
