Continuing the Run Toward Sustainability: Foopak and RunCzech Partner Again for Lower‑Waste Marathons

Large running events bring together thousands of athletes and spectators, but they also generate significant waste from single-use cups and bottles. Hydration stations alone can produce hundreds of thousands of disposable cups during a single race. Recognizing this challenge, Foopak and RunCzech have worked together to introduce lower-waste alternatives across one of Europe’s most respected marathon series.

Making Marathon Days Greener with Foopak

Working with Foopak, RunCzech has introduced Foopak Bio Natura paper cups at hydration points during several races in the series. These cups are designed to be recyclable, compostable, and PFAS-free, offering an alternative to conventional plastic drinkware while maintaining the efficiency needed for large endurance events.

The partnership began in 2024 with the Generali Prague Half Marathon, where approximately 500,000 eco-friendly cups were used along the race route. Following this initial implementation, the initiative expanded across around 10 races under the RunCzech series, including the Prague International Marathon and other races within the RunCzech calendar.

Building on this momentum, in 2025 the collaboration further extended to include the Napoli City Half Marathon, part of the Napoli Running project organized in partnership with RunCzech. In 2026, the collaboration has already been brought to races such as the Napoli City Half Marathon, Generali Prague Half Marathon, and Prague Airport Valentine’s Run, marking another year of continued implementation across major events.

The collaboration continues to expand across key RunCzech races in 2026, including flagship events such as the ORLEN Prague Marathon, alongside a broader calendar of running festivals across the Czech Republic. Foopak continues to supply Foopak Bio Natura paper cups across hydration stations, supporting efficient race operations.

This continued contribution reflects Foopak’s role in enabling large-scale events to reduce reliance on single-use plastics while ensuring smooth race operations. To date, Foopak has supplied more than half a million sustainable cups across multiple RunCzech races, supporting the shift toward lower-waste marathon operations.

A Shared Commitment to More Responsible Races

The partnership between Foopak and RunCzech is rooted in a shared commitment to sustainability in endurance sports. As one of Europe’s most respected marathon organizers, RunCzech continues to explore ways to reduce environmental impact without compromising race quality.

Foopak supports this ambition by providing paper-based solutions designed for high-performance environments like marathons, where efficiency, safety, and scale are critical.

Reflecting on the journey, Wahyu Rahyuni Butarbutar, Global Product and Marketing Manager of Foopak from APP Group, shared a practical perspective,

“By choosing a running lifestyle, people are already making a healthier choice, and sustainability should progress in the same way. Through partnering with marathons, we aim to show that small actions, such as changing what we use at events, can create real impact when done at scale. Every runner may move at a different pace, but we are all heading toward the same finish line: sustainability. We invite organizers and event partners who want to take simple steps toward more sustainable events to reach out and start the conversation. Together, we can move forward and support Foopak’s mission for a greener future.”

Carlo Capalbo, President of RunCzech, also emphasized the long-term vision behind the partnership:

“We see sustainability as an integral part of how races should be organized today and in the future. Working with partners like Foopak allows us to implement practical solutions at scale, reducing environmental impact while ensuring a seamless experience for runners. This collaboration is not just about one race, but about continuously improving how we approach sustainability across our entire series.”

Foopak’s Real Impact at RunCzech Races

Through multiple races and cities, Foopak has helped support RunCzech’s goal of reducing single-use plastic at hydration stations while maintaining a smooth experience for runners.

RunCzech Races in the Czech Republic

The partnership between Foopak and RunCzech began as a mission to transform the hydration landscape of elite European racing. By replacing traditional plastic with compostable solutions, these major events have proven that high-performance logistics and environmental responsibility can coexist.

This journey started at the Generali Prague Half Marathon in 2024, which served as the official debut of the partnership. During this race, approximately 120,000 Foopak Bio Natura cups replaced conventional plastic, introducing thousands of runners to sustainable drinkware and setting a new standard for the entire RunCzech race calendar.

Expanding this impact further, the initiative reached the series’ flagship event, the Prague International Marathon (ORLEN Prague Marathon). For the 2025 edition, Foopak scaled its support to meet the demands of the full marathon distance by supplying 80,000 compostable cups. This effort reinforced a shared commitment to reducing plastic waste in one of the world’s most prestigious endurance events.

In 2026, the partnership reaches new scale across the RunCzech calendar, bringing Foopak Bio Natura to some of Europe’s most recognized races, including:

Generali Prague Half Marathon 2026
ORLEN Prague Marathon 2026
Prague Airport Valentine’s Run
Mattoni Running Festival Karlovy Vary
Mattoni Running Festival České Budějovice
Mattoni Running Festival Olomouc

Napoli City Half Marathon

The Napoli City Half Marathon, organized in collaboration with RunCzech, has become an example of how sustainability can be integrated into major races.

At the 2025 edition, Foopak supplied 40,000 eco-friendly paper cups to support hydration stations for more than 7,000 participants. The shift away from plastic bottles and cups helped the event reduce more than 25,000 plastic bottles, contributing to its recognition as an Eco Event Plastic Free race.

Building on this progress, in the Napoli City Half Marathon 2026, Foopak further scaled its support by supplying 44,000 sustainable paper cups for approximately 10,000 registered participants, continuing efforts to reduce single-use plastic while supporting a growing race community.

This initiative demonstrated how even a single race can significantly cut plastic waste while maintaining efficient race logistics.

More Finish Lines, More Environmental Progress

The shift toward sustainable racing is gaining momentum well beyond the RunCzech circuit, as Foopak continues to bring its sustainable solutions to some of the most iconic finish lines in the world. Most recently, the 2026 LA Marathon utilized Foopak’s sustainable paper cups at its hydration stations, marking a significant milestone in how major American races are pivoting toward more environmentally responsible infrastructure. This recent collaboration demonstrates that even the largest-scale endurance events can successfully eliminate conventional plastic without slowing down the pace of the race.

This global footprint follows a history of successful partnerships with other running festivals and races across Europe and Asia. By providing sustainable drinkware for these diverse events, Foopak has helped foster a broader, permanent change within the global running community, proving that the path to a world-class finish line now includes a commitment to a greener future.

Through continued collaboration with partners like Foopak, RunCzech aims to keep improving sustainability practices across its events. From hydration stations to race logistics, these initiatives show that marathon organizers and partners can work together to move toward lower-waste race days, one finish line at a time.