Located at the Korean House in Paris, Cass pocha, a Korean outdoor food and drink stall, uses PLA cups, which are collected on site in special containers.

PARIS, France – The 2024 Paris Olympics are setting new standards for sustainability at major events, and Luminy® PLA bioplastics are playing a role. Sansu, a partner of TotalEnergies Corbion, transforms Luminy® PLA into products like cups and bottles. Its affiliate WeCycle, is collaborating with Cass, a beer brand and official partner of the Paris Olympics Korean House, to collect used PLA cups. These cups, made from 100% biobased PLA, sourced from sugarcane, will be used at the Cass Pocha - an outdoor food and drink stall located near the Eiffel Tower.

Luminy® PLA bioplastics have a 75% lower carbon footprint than traditional plastics and can be recycled or composted at end-of-life. Sansu is organically recycling a portion of collected PLA cups through WeCycle, into biogas via anaerobic digestion in their commercial pilot plant in Korea.

The Paris Olympic Comittee is committed to eliminating single-use plastics, opting for glass bottles and drinking fountains instead of single-use plastic bottles and cups. Cass beer will be using PLA cups, which will be collected back for recycling. PLA bioplastic cups also require less energy to transport compared to their glass counterparts. This makes them a sustainable choice that meets specific consumer needs while still supporting broader environmental objectives.

“As always, we are happy to have this opportunity to utilize our partnership with TotalEnergies Corbion to support big projects that help shape the future of sustainability and PLA bioplastics,” said Ji-Hoon Kim, CEO of Sansu. “Working with brands like Cass who advocate for differentiated solutions is also crucial on our collective journey towards a greener future.”

Thomas Philipon, CEO of TotalEnergies Corbion, remarked, "The Paris Olympics presents a unique opportunity to showcase how innovative materials like Luminy® PLA can help reduce the carbon footprint of major events. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in every aspect of this partnership, from production to end-of-life solutions."

To meet its goal of halving the carbon emissions of the average of London 2012 and Rio 2016, Paris 2024 had to consider many different sustainability tactics. While bioplastics are just one piece of the sustainability puzzle, their inclusion at the Paris Olympics highlights their potential in large-scale events.