Scottish Open 2019: Bid to reduce single-use plastic consumption at Renaissance Club

The Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI) Scottish Open has teamed up with Scottish Water to reduce single-use plastic consumption

The European Tour and main sponsors, Aberdeen Standard Investments, and the Scottish Government are striving to make this year’s Rolex Series event more than a world-class sporting occasion, by taking steps to minimise its impact on the local environment around Scotland’s Golf Coast.

In a first for the tournament, players, caddies, volunteers and staff will be issued with reusable water bottles which can be refilled at water fountains situated across the course, including on tees, practice areas and all public and partner facilities.

Typical usage by players, caddies, volunteers and staff during previous instalments of the event has amounted to 24,000 half-litre bottles, and the target for this year’s tournament is to significantly reduce that by as much as 80 per cent.

The partnership between the tournament and Scottish Water is the latest example of sporting organisations taking a more sustainable approach. Earlier this year, Scottish Swimming backed Scottish Water’s ‘Your Water Your Life’ campaign by becoming the first national representative body to stop providing plastic bottles of water for officials and volunteers and to encourage the use of refillable bottles at various national competitions and events.

In Scotland, 20 million plastic bottles are littered each year and the Your Water Your Life project sets out to tackle the issue of single-use plastic by encouraging the public to use refillable bottles, and the ASI Scottish Open will help set the standard with this approach for golf.

Rory Colville, the director of the ASI Scottish Open Championship, said: “Moving away from single-use plastic is a small step that can make a real difference. We are delighted to partner with Scottish Water to help encourage this change in behaviour and show that large sporting events can lead the way in minimising environmental impact.”

Brian Lironi, director of corporate affairs, Scottish Water, added: “We will be working with the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open tournament team to locate temporary ‘top-up taps’ on the course and in spectator areas. We’ll also be providing volunteers with refillable bottles so that they can stay refreshed throughout the tournament.

“The Scottish Open is a fantastic opportunity to showcase two things that are best about Scotland – great golf and high-quality tap water – to a global audience. Our message is clear: topping up from the tap is good for you, good for the planet and good for your pocket.”