Runners are expected to drop their bottles where London Marathon staff can collect them and place them in the bins, with 40-strong street cleaning team from Westminster's street cleansing contractor Veolia Environmental Services removing any bottles left on the ground.
Following the 2009 Marathon, Westminster collected 1.7 tonnes of plastic bottles after putting 20 recycling bins on the route. This was combined with a total of 3.5 tonnes of waste being collected and disposed of by the council.
Dr Leith Penny, Westminster city council's strategic director for city management, said: “The London Marathon is a special day in London and we are working behind the scenes to ensure the only thing the runners have to worry about is reaching the finishing line.
“But keeping our streets clean isn't just important when there are special events – we make sure London's centre is clean and tidy for residents, business and visitors every day.”
Plastic bottles along with other dry recyclable material collected by Westminster at the kerbside are sent to Veolia's materials recycling facility (MRF) at Greenwich, where they are sorted. From there the plastic bottle fraction is then sent to Closed Loop Recycling's facility in Dagenham, East London, for reprocessing.
In addition to the plastic bottles, the council also intends to collect and recycle cardboard waste from the drinks stations in the Westminster section. In total, the council expects to clean up at least a tonnes worth of cardboard and litter.
The Westminster section runs from Temple Place down Victoria Embankment to Bridge Street, across Parliament Square and into Great George Street. The runners then pass through along Birdcage Walk and onto The Mall before crossing the finishing line in front of Buckingham Palace.
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