THIS STORY ORIGINALLY appeared on WIRED in Spanish and was translated from Spanish.
Traditionally, the track in the Olympic stadium is red. However, for the 2024 Summer Olympics, it is purple to match the event colors chosen by the Paris organizing committee. But there is another difference: it is made from recycled shells produced by the fishing industry, as part of the 2024 Olympics’ commitment to sustainability.
Malleable flooring, such as the running track floor, is made from calcium carbonate, which is usually obtained through mining. Instead, the company that designed the 2024 Summer Olympics track, Mondo, teamed up with a fishing cooperative to collect shells from Mediterranean mollusks, such as clams and mussels, which are affluent in the material. The shells would otherwise go to waste.
The track is functionally the same as the time-honored one, but its aim is to create a fresh, robust and sustainable sports surface.
Stadium staff work on the long jump track at the Stade de France.Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Mondo has entered into cooperation with NieddittasItalian fishing cooperative specializing in shellfish to obtain the materials needed. Its fishermen cleaned and dried the shell waste from the collected clams and mussels, ground it into a fine powder, and sent the material to a flooring manufacturer to make a track. The scientists behind the project worked on perfecting the technique for three years.
The sports industry can reduce its environmental impact by using shells in this way. Quarrying limestone and marble to collect calcium carbonate produces carbon dioxide emissions, as well as mining waste. According to Mondo, building a track using biogenic calcium carbonate offsets the emissions of a Euro 4 diesel vehicle travelling 60,000 kilometres. “The project is a forward-looking example of long-term commitment to sustainability and local communities.” Nieddittas stated in a press release.