The Muncie IRONMAN 70.3 is a much-anticipated event, drawing thousands of athletes and spectators every year to experience an incredible feat of endurance. Behind the scenes, the race is a massive production, requiring hundreds of volunteers, coordination with police and emergency services from multiple townships, and unique partnerships.
One such partnership was with the Muncie Sanitary District (MSD), East Central Recycling, Muncie-Delaware Clean and Beautiful, and the Parks Department (especially Prairie Creek staff). As part of the race, athletes are given Gatorade, water bottles, energy bars, and other support items to fuel them through the day. Unfortunately, this can generate a lot of trash.
MSD Recycling Educator Jason Donati estimated that the 2021 race produced 15 tons of landfill waste. “We did a waste audit last year after the full IRONMAN event had ended,” commented Donati. “We realized that if we made some specific changes to how we collected the waste, we could plan ahead, use our resources, and keep all of this material out a landfill.”