HJK and Kotkamills team up for a plastic-free stadium
Under the collaboration agreement signed between Football club HJK and Kotkamills, a manufacturer of fully recyclable food service board, HJK is aiming to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of its matches in the upcoming season.
HJK published in December 2019 its environmental responsibility programme and concrete measures to reduce its carbon footprint. The target is to decrease emissions by 20 percent during 2020 and to compensate the rest of its emissions through EU emissions trading. HJK is aiming for its first teams to be totally carbon neutral by 2025.
– The collaboration with Kotkamills is part of HJK’s environmental responsibility programme and a significant advancement in reducing plastic emissions. Beer, soft drinks and coffee are served in 150,000 single-use cups every year at the Bolt Arena. With the help of Kotkamills, we can discontinue the use of plastic mugs and plastic-coated cups, says HJK CEO Aki Riihilahti.
Collaborating with sports teams is not new for Kotkamills. Norwich City Football Club, which plays in the English Premier League, announced in January that starting next season it will replace single-use plastic cups with Kotkamills’ more eco-friendly alternatives. Also the KooKoo ice hockey team playing in the Finnish Elite League aims to reduce plastic waste at its home games to as close to zero as possible with the help of its main partner Kotkamills.
– It’s great to see how sports teams are taking responsibility for ecological rebuilding. As a major Finnish football club and a platform for junior teams, HJK plays a significant role in building a new consumers mindset around sustainability and recycling, notes Kotkamills CEO Markku Hämäläinen.
The collaboration between Kotkamills and HJK will be presented in more detail at the PacTec International Packaging and Material Handling Exhibition, 11-12 March 2020, at the Messukeskus Expo and Convention Centre in Helsinki. Representatives from Kotkamills and HJK will be at stand 3a39. Dolea’s fully recyclable drinking straws made from Kotkamills’ board will be showcased at the stand, and Sinebrychoff will serve non-alcoholic beer from cups made with Kotkamills’ ISLA® barrier board. The cups have been made by the Kotka-based Cukca.
Further information:
Markku Hämäläinen, CEO, Kotkamills, +358 40 721 0548
Sami Smolander, Commercial Director, HJK, +358 400 685 532
