Runners taking part in the 2026 Brecon Carreg Porthcawl 10K are being encouraged to help recycle their water bottles so they can be given a second life to support athlete recovery.
The water company provides hydration to runners along the course and at the finish line and special bins are being provided at the water stations, finishing funnel and event village for runners to dispose of their empty Brecon Carreg bottles.
The Brecon Carreg ploggers will also be collecting them up.
These will then be collected up and repurposed into foam rollers through an innovative new sustainability partnership with Welsh sports recovery manufacturer LAYR55.
LAYR55 will manufacture the foam rollers using advanced 3D printing technology. The rollers will subsequently be used to support athlete recovery at the Cardiff Half Marathon in October, creating a circular journey from hydration to recovery.
Matt Newman, Chief Executive at Run 4 Wales, said: “We’re delighted to support this initiative with Brecon Carreg, which demonstrates how major sporting events can play a role in reducing waste and promoting more sustainable behaviours. By encouraging runners to recycle their empty Brecon Carreg bottles in the designated bins at the Porthcawl 10K, we’re helping to give those materials a second life as something that can benefit the wider running community.
“At Run 4 Wales, we are committed to continually improving the environmental sustainability of our events, and partnerships like this are an important part of that journey. We hope participants will get behind the initiative and help us make a positive impact, both on race day and beyond.”
The collaboration marks the next phase of Brecon Carreg’s commitment to supporting sustainability initiatives within Welsh sport and demonstrates how event waste can be transformed into valuable products.
Eleri Morgan, Head of Brand & Marketing at Brecon Carreg, said: “At Brecon Carreg, we’re always looking for meaningful ways to reduce waste and support innovative sustainability projects. This partnership with LAYR55 brings the circular economy to life in a way that people can easily understand. The very bottles used by runners to stay hydrated can go on to become foam rollers that help athletes recover. It’s a fantastic example of Welsh businesses working together to create a positive environmental impact through sport.”
Andrew Lloyd Hughes, Commercial Director at LAYR55, added: “We’re passionate about creating products that challenge traditional manufacturing and demonstrate what’s possible through circular design. Working with Brecon Carreg allows us to take post-consumer plastic from sporting events and transform it into high-performance recovery equipment manufactured here in Wales. It’s a practical and visible example of how waste materials can become valuable resources, helping move sport towards a more sustainable future.”
The initiative forms part of Brecon Carreg’s wider commitment to improving sustainability at running events and encouraging participants to think differently about the resources they use.
Participants at the Brecon Carreg Porthcawl 10K are encouraged to dispose of their empty Brecon Carreg bottles in the designated recycling bins or hand them to members of the plogging team to help support the project.