Paris marathon to hold without plastic bottles, cups
When the 2026 marathon in Paris holds this Sunday, runners will find no plastic bottles or paper cups at aid stations. Instead, every participant will be required to carry their own hydration container.
The 49th edition of the Paris Marathon is set to be a turning point in the running world. Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the French company behind the race, has decided to take its environmental commitments even further.
The change has been phased in over several years. Plastic bottles were eliminated in 2024, replaced by paper cups — which runners quickly adopted. But those, too, will soon disappear as the event moves to a fully reusable model.
Organisers say the decision will not affect performance and this is the future of mass participation events.
Prompted by a city-wide ban two years ago on single-use plastics at all Parisian races, it is hoped this change to the marathon will eliminate waste equivalent to 660,000 plastic bottles.
“Plastic is everywhere in our life and we need strong decisions to break free. Runners have appreciated bottles and cups for years for their practicality, but things are changing now,” said Thomas Delpeuch, director of the Paris Marathon in a chat with the BBC.
The Paris Marathon holds on Sunday, April 12, 2026.
