Waste reduction initiatives
Inspiring a wave of change across the city
Our regular community and corporate beach cleans have highlighted the main offenders that are found on our local Brighton beach, from single use plastic food packaging to fishing waste.
Dubbed ‘THE DIRTY DOZEN‘, we are actively working with local businesses to reduce the numbers of these items left on our shores or disappearing into the sea.
Case study: Sea Lanes
Sea Lanes have worked in partnership with Leave No Trace Brighton to reduce plastic waste and their environmental impact. Key initiatives and shifts in behaviour include:
- Reusable drinkware and tableware
- Access to free water
- Operational controls
- Packaging audit and improvements with a shift away from single use plastics
- Use of compostable packaging
- Onsite composting solution
Leave No Trace Brighton at the Brighton Marathon: From Campaign to Change.
Leave No Trace Brighton’s involvement with the Brighton Marathon began in 2024 when we supported Darren Evans, co-founder of the Green Runners, in his campaign to end the use of single use plastic water bottles at the event.
Following the campaign, Leave No Trace Brighton raised the issue with Councillor Tim Rowkins, Cabinet Member for Net Zero & Environmental Services at Brighton & Hove City Council, who brought together Leave No Trace Brighton, The Green Runners and Brighton & Hove City Council’s events team to find a solution.
Working collaboratively, Leave No Trace Brighton helped shape Brighton & Hove’s updated Sustainable Events Commitments. Sophie, from Leave No Trace Brighton, contributed to drafting the revised policy and promoted best practice, including prioritising reusable systems over recycling and encouraging event organisers to go above and beyond national legislation.
The impact was clear. Brighton Marathon 2026 implemented a refillable and reusable water system across the event, with taps and refill stations allowing runners to top up their own reusable bottles. Five of the ten water stations offered these refill opportunities, alongside improved recycling infrastructure and a much stronger focus on sustainability throughout the marathon and event villages.
Leave No Trace Brighton also had a presence at the event, engaging with runners and spectators to promote responsible waste disposal and raise awareness of the connection between litter and marine pollution.
For the 2026 marathon, we also helped bring together the plogging team, a relay of volunteer runners who collected discarded gel wrappers along the route. The initiative not only kept the course cleaner but highlighted the environmental impact of single use sports nutrition packaging, helping to drive conversations around more sustainable alternatives.
The Brighton Marathon shows what can be achieved when campaigners, local authorities and event organisers work together. Collaboration, practical action and ambitious environmental standards have created lasting change that will benefit both the event and Brighton’s environment for years to come.