Is This the Most Sustainable Winter Olympics Ever?
As the world counts down to the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games, one questions keeps sliding into the conversation like a rogue snowboarder: Can this really be the most sustainable Olympics in History?
With over 3,000 athletes, 116 events, 90 nations, 15 venues across four mountain clusters and over a million tonnes of CO₂e expected, it’s no small challenge. Past Winter Games (from Beijing to PyeongChang to Sochi) have wrestled with criticisms around carbon footprints, temporary structures, artificial snow, heavy logistics, and high-energy broadcast operations. So, what makes Milano-Cortina different, and are the organisers really carving a greener path?
Can the Olympics Actually Go Green?
Gloria Zavatta, Head of Sustainability for Milano‑Cortina, highlights a major win: creating a new standard for measuring and reducing the impact of temporary structures and visibility materials. That means more renting, fewer single-use builds, and smarter circular planning for leftover assets, even down to re-selling or donating unused fire extinguishers. But here’s the twist: Italy is not a sustainability frontrunner. With only 20% electric vehicles in use for the Games, organisers have had to get creative. Anything that can’t be electrified is powered by HVO biofuel from waste oils, cutting emissions by up to 70%.
Still, the black Olympic ring represents an undeniable truth: these Games are expected to generate around 1 million tonnes of CO₂e, higher than 2022 due to post-pandemic travel patterns.
So… are we seeing genuine sustainable innovation, or simply a smoother-package footprint?
What are They Doing?
One standout? Milan’s Porta Romana Olympic Village, designed as a low-carbon development that will turn into affordable student housing after the event.
Plus, Milano-Cortina aims to:
- Recycle 70% of urban waste
- Recover food leftovers
- Reuse 24,000 items from Paris 2024 Olympic Games
- Protect biodiversity with noise/light management
- Restore sensitive ecosystems post-Games
- Cut road traffic by 20% vs. Turin 2006
Which leads us to:
Is this the blueprint future mega-events should follow, and will organisers stick the landing?
What are the Olympics Waste Streams?
Behind every Olympic moment, every bib, banner, broadcast tent, volunteer jacket, athlete uniform, medal-ceremony backdrop, TV screen, ticket scanner and sponsor pop-up: sits a mountain of potential waste. Temporary structures, signage, accreditation passes, team kits, hospitality textiles, branded merch, single use décor, transport materials, protective gear, and even unused safety equipment all add up fast. Mega-events churn through thousands of items design to last days, not years. Which is why the real sustainability challenge isn’t just powering venues with renewable energy… it’s handling the tidal wave of post-event waste streams waiting at the finish line.
The question is: How do we stop these materials from racing straight to landfill?
What is the Solution to The Waste?
If there’s one thing that the Winter Olympics proves, it’s this: sustainability depends on action, not slogans. Whether it’s team kits, sponsor materials, or brand that must be securely and responsibly handled after the Games. What happens to all textiles, products, and tech after use matters just as much as how sustainably they’re made?
That is where Avena already supports teams, sports organisations, events, and global brands win their own sustainability race.
Through secure destruction, circular repurposing, protection of brand integrity, and auditable reuse pathway, Avena ensures that every end-of-life materials is diverted from landfill and doesn’t become an environmental or reputational burden.
So as Milano-Cortina pushes towards a greener Games, one final questions remains:
Is your organisational ready for the podium, or destined for the penalty box?
Ready to accelerate your sustainability strategy? Speak to one of our experts today.