The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics is set to make history in terms of sustainability, as 11,000 stadium seats made entirely of recycled plastic will be used during the aquatic events. The plastic used for the seats was collected from recycling bins in the Seine-Saint-Denis neighborhood, and 80% of the 100 metric tons needed for the seats came from this area. The collected plastic was shredded, processed and turned into new material by a local recycling firm called Le Pavé.

The seats have undergone numerous tests, including mechanical resistance, fire resistance, and toxicity, as well as UV resistance. The recycled plastic chairs proved to be sturdy and durable, with manufacturers reporting no problems in the production process. The plastic used in the seats was primarily sourced from soda bottle tops, with five million tops shredded by several companies to produce infrastructure like seating for the games.

The use of recycled plastic seats is part of Paris and France's commitment to sustainability, with the goal of reducing downstream emissions by 50% compared to the 2012 and 2016 games. Additionally, the city is working to combat environmental degradation by making the Seine swimmable for the first time in decades, in an effort to host the triathlon there. 

The recycled plastic seats not only promote sustainability but also raise awareness about waste recycling, with children being encouraged to dispose of their plastic bottles in appropriate bins. The Paris Olympics' use of recycled plastic seats demonstrates the feasibility of a circular economy, where waste is repurposed and reused, ultimately reducing the amount of plastic waste in landfills and oceans.