Four people hold sustainable symbols of the circular economy in their hands: a model of a Saubermacher e-truck and the ‘Zero Waste Guide’. Behind them is a screen labelled ‘Circular Champion’.
30. January 2025

Saubermacher with Circular WM concept: World Ski Championships save up to 182 tons of CO₂ emissions

As the official waste management partner, Saubermacher is helping to imple-ment the 2025 World Ski Championships in line with the circular economy with a specially developed 'Circular World Cup Concept'. By actively raising aware-ness, consistently separating and avoiding waste, recycling materials and us-ing smart e-trucks, up to 182 tons of CO₂ emissions can be saved, calculates Karl Steininger, Head of the Graz Wegener Center, on behalf of Saubermacher. This corresponds to 19 trips around the equator in a conventionally powered car. The results were presented in Vienna together with ÖSV President Ro-switha Stadlober and environmental ambassador Alexandra Meissnitzer.

Four fields of action for the circular economy and climate protection

Conserving resources and returning them to the cycle in a particularly sustainable way. The Austrian Ski Association is committed to this goal and wants to pay particular attention to ecological, social and economic sustainability during the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Saalbach 2025. Saubermacher has identified four fields of action in an innovative “Circular WM Concept”. These include avoiding waste, reducing waste, switching to e-mobility and using reusable containers. Thanks to targeted, target group-specific measures in the run-up to and during the major event, up to 182 tons of CO2 emissions can be saved from the time the waste is generated to its final disposal. This is the result of a study by the Wegener Center at the University of Graz. The institute was commissioned by Saubermacher to examine various waste disposal scenarios and their impact on the environment. In the basic scenario, waste is disposed of without separation using vehicles powered by fossil fuels. Through separate collection and the use of electric vehicles, emissions can already be reduced by over 21 percent compared to the base scenario. A further reduction in the rate of waste disposal increases the additional savings to almost 23 percent. The greatest reduction is achieved through a combination of correct waste separation and the resulting high recycling rate, electric vehicles and reusable containers. More than 50 percent and the equivalent of 182 tons of CO2 emissions can be saved. The calculation is based on data from the Ski World Cup final in Saalbach-Hinterglemm 2024.

Reaching the goal with awareness-raising, smart solutions and e-mobility

Saubermacher and Gassner, a company of the Saubermacher Group, provide support for correct waste disposal over a distance of 20 kilometers. This includes parking lots, bus terminals, fan mile, finish area and Medal Plaza. Around 600 waste garbage cans and 30 highly visible collection stations were installed for the major event. The latter were built from sustainable materials in collaboration with Jugend am Werk. The Digi-Cycle app, which is the result of a joint venture with Altstoff Recycling Austria (ARA), makes it easy to find all the bins. They are geo-located on a map. Saubermacher sent waste experts to the local elementary school in the run-up to the World Cup to raise awareness of correct waste disposal among the youngest children. In addition, all employees at the event were trained in how to separate waste correctly. Innovative digital solutions help to optimize route planning and thus contribute to particularly climate-friendly waste disposal. For example, the waste garbage cans at particularly busy locations are equipped with high-tech sensors. These record the fill levels in real time and ensure that they are emptied as required. To motivate visitors to the site in particular to improve their separation behavior, Saubermacher is sending out its e-truck with a recyclables scanner and external display, the only one of its kind in Austria.

Smart e-truck provides direct feedback on separation morale

Saubermacher is on the road at the Ski World Championships with a unique e-truck with a 55-inch external display. The e-waste truck with the Stummer Kommunalfahrzeuge GmbH body takes environmentally friendly waste disposal to a new level. It is also equipped with the SCANTEC GmbH recyclables scanner. This uses multispectral cameras and AI to detect incorrect waste and shows what type of material it is – such as glass or plastic. The results are displayed on a large screen at the finish line on a daily basis and are intended to help raise awareness and optimize the sorting habits of all visitors. They produce around half a kilo of waste per day during the World Ski Championships. This results in a total of over 72 tons of waste (based on data from the Ski World Cup Final Saalbach-Hinterglemm 2024). In addition to the smart electric truck, another electric rear loader and two electric box wagons are also used to handle the waste volume.

Saubermacher returns all recyclable materials to the cycle in the best possible way. Plastic and metal packaging is first sent to sorting plants and then recycled. Paper and cardboard are recycled in paper mills and used to produce new paper. Organic waste is used as biogas to replace fossil fuels. Glass waste is also collected by type and returned to the material cycle. The sorted residual waste is sent for thermal recycling.

in the picture (from left to right) Harald Hauke, Ara board member; Hans Roth, Saubermacher founder; Roswitha Stadlober, ÖSV president; Alexandra Meissnitzer, Saubermacher environmental ambassador and Karl Steininger, head of the Wegener Centre at the University of Graz, present Saubermacher's ‘Circular Champion’ concept for the sustainable World Ski Championships 2025. Photo rights: Saubermacher/Ludwig Schedl
in the picture (from left to right) Harald Hauke, Ara board member; Hans Roth, Saubermacher founder; Roswitha Stadlober, ÖSV president; Alexandra Meissnitzer, Saubermacher environmental ambassador and Karl Steininger, head of the Wegener Centre at the University of Graz, present Saubermacher's ‘Circular Champion’ concept for the sustainable World Ski Championships 2025. Photo rights: Saubermacher/Ludwig Schedl

Roswitha Stadlober, ÖSV President: “Our aim is to organize an event that conserves resources as much as possible and to provide sustainable impetus for the region and skiing in general. As a Green Event, the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Saalbach 2025 should Salzburg is set to become a showcase project for future major winter sports events. We are delighted and very grateful that the “Circular World Championships Concept” with Saubermacher possible and that we are working together sustainably for the future.”

Karl Steininger, Head of the Wegener Center at the University of Graz: “The Circular World Cup concept combines a range of measures that contribute to the environmentally friendly and circular implementation of a major event. The study by the Wegener Center at the University of Graz shows that, in this case, waste reduction, recycling of recyclable materials and the use of reusable containers in particular contribute to a significant reduction in CO emissions – proof of how sustainable strategies can also be effectively implemented at events such as the 2025 World Ski Championships.”

Alexandra Meissnitzer, Saubermacher environmental ambassador: “As a former ski racer, I am of course aware of how important it is to treat nature and its resources with care – especially in winter sports. Saubermacher is setting new standards in terms of sustainability at the World Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm 2025 and I am proud to be part of this strong team as an environmental ambassador. This major event is a pioneering example of how sport and environmental protection can go hand in hand.”

Hans Roth, Saubermacher founder: “The Wegener Center at the University of Graz impressively demonstrates the potential of a consistently practiced circular economy. As the official waste management partner of the 2025 World Ski Championships, we are proud to make an important contribution to the sustainable implementation of this major event with our expertise and innovative spirit. We appreciate the exemplary commitment of the ÖSV, the municipality, its residents, businesses and all visitors, who together are taking responsibility for a future worth living.”

Alois Hasenauer, Mayor of Saalbach-Hinterglemm: “The 2025 World Ski Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm offer the ideal opportunity to raise awareness of sustainable values in the community. Together with the citizens, we are creating added value for the region, promoting environmental awareness and laying the foundations for a sustainable future – starting with the youngest.”

Harald Hauke, ARA Board Member: “Innovative, digital technologies are the key to a sustainable transformation of the economy. Events such as the Ski World Championships 2025 offer an ideal platform to demonstrate this. The use of modern solutions such as the Digi-Cycle app sends out a clear signal: Progress and environmental protection go hand in hand. In this way, important resources can be fed back into the cycle and an essential contribution can be made to raw material security and a sustainable environment.”

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