How Telegraph campaign helped Premier League turn green
Clubs take action to cut single-use plastic cups Friends of the Earth find fans want more done
Premier League clubs have taken major steps to cut plastic waste since The Daily Telegraph launched a Government-backed manifesto to pressure them into becoming greener, it can be revealed.
A year after an investigation by this newspaper laid bare how slow the world’s richest league had been to respond to Whitehall environment targets, a second detailed audit of England’s top flight has found decisive action has since been taken on several fronts.
Much of the progress is in line with a six-point manifesto devised by The Telegraph in consultation with campaigners and supported by the Government, which piled pressure on clubs to clean up their acts and encourage fans to adopt greener lifestyles.
One of the manifesto’s key pillars was the phasing out of single-use plastic, pollution from which Sir David Attenborough has branded an “unfolding catastrophe” and which Britain last year committed to eliminating by 2042.
Last year’s research by The Telegraph indicated that the majority of Premier League clubs had not set clear targets for eradicating such plastic. However, 12 months on, the picture appears transformed. The 19 to respond – only Aston Villa did not – said they had already begun phasing out single-use plastic, with many providing details of their plans to eliminate it altogether.
Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton, Leicester City, Southampton, Arsenal and Watford said they had adopted reusable cup schemes – cups sold on match days are collected, washed and reused. Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth and West Ham United said they had trialled such a scheme, with the latter adding they were working towards rolling one out.
Newcastle United eradicated single-use plastic from their training ground and academy in March, while Brighton and Hove Albion said they had replaced plastic cups with biodegradable ones. Norwich City said they had also begun using plastic-free ones.
In September, Friends of the Earth launched a campaign calling on clubs to cut out single-use plastic, having estimated six million such cups were used in the Premier League last season alone. It has been speaking with clubs about eliminating the cups altogether by next season. Its plastics campaigner, Julian Kirby, said: “A survey for Friends of the Earth revealed that over four-fifths of football fans agreed that Premier League clubs should introduce reusable cup schemes, so we are delighted that many stadiums are now doing this.”
The Telegraph’s latest audit also found progress in other areas.
Nearly all clubs to respond said they now offered vegetarian and vegan options – which have a lower carbon footprint – compared with less than a handful last year.
Bournemouth and Sheffield United said they had installed LED floodlights. Everton reported they were exploring retrofitting electric car-charging points, which would also be included at their proposed new stadium. Crystal Palace said such points were part of their Main Stand development plan, while Leicester said they would also be included in any future stadium development. Arsenal, who also said they were looking to install charging points at the Emirates Stadium, were the only club to confirm they expected to reduce by two the number of league matches flown to this season. However, Southampton did say they were reviewing their travel routine and Wolves said they only flew to one league match.
No club indicated they had installed additional solar panels, while only Bournemouth reported that they had increased their number of secure cycle storage points.
Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea were the only sides to make it easy to find an up-to-date environment policy for them online.
There is no sign of the Premier League forcing its clubs to meet minimum standards on the environment. The Telegraph revealed last year that it had decided against issuing blanket rules due to variations in the standard of stadiums and facilities. A Premier League spokesman said: “Clubs are implementing new and more efficient ways of operating – such as reducing single-use plastic in stadiums, reviewing suppliers and contractors and looking at energy sources and modes of transport used.
“Lots of progress has already been made, but there is more to be done and we are committed to raising awareness of sustainability and encouraging positive action.”
Kirby added: “It’s encouraging to see clubs taking green issues seriously and introducing measures to cut climate-wrecking emissions, ditch single-use plastic and reduce waste – but with the world in the midst of an environmental crisis, we need every club to act.”
‘Progress has been made. Clubs are implementing new and more efficient ways of operating’