Environmental wins and losses of the Sydney Olympics

The wins

Solar suburb: The Olympic Athletes Village was the world's largest solar suburb. Its 665 homes switched on to a grid-connected, solar powered electricity system and solar hot water heating. After the Games, the homes were sold to the public. The Olympic Stadium, SuperDome and Regatta Centre are solar powered too. These alternative energy systems, along with innovative building design, lowered operating costs and the CO2 pollution which contributes to global warming.

PVC phaseout: Greenpeace campaigned for a phaseout of the toxic plastic PVC. The manufacture of PVC produces hazardous chemicals, including dioxin, which has been linked to birth defects, cancer and disruption of the hormone system in humans and animals. PVC was significantly reduced in all Olympic venues. Safer alternatives were used for plumbing, cabling and other fixtures.

Car-free zone: Sydney 2000 Olympics was the first car-free Olympics. Almost all spectators used the new train line, making transport to the Games much less polluting.

Sites saved: To protect biodiversity at the Olympic site, Greenpeace and other groups lobbied to keep the habitat of rare green and golden bell frogs protected from development. Plans were also altered to save and protect a small remnant of Newington Forest, which is the home of trees dating back to the time of Aboriginal settlement.

The losses

Toxic legacy: Greenpeace began campaigning for an urgent toxic clean-up of Homebush Bay, the area surrounding the Olympic site, in the mid-nineties. Despite making a commitment to do so in 1997, the NSW Government failed to act. While the Olympic site itself was made safe, Homebush Bay remained one of the most toxic waterways in the world.

Hole lot of HFCs: During 2000, the largest ozone hole ever was recorded over the Southern Hemisphere. The choice of Olympic refrigerators, coolers and air conditioners was thus a very important issue. The Environmental Guidelines specifically committed to avoiding environmentally damaging refrigerants (CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs). The use of ozone-depleting HCFs and greenhouse gas HFCs in air conditioning systems amounted to the site's biggest environmental failure.

Sponsors disappoint

• Coca-Cola announced a phaseout of greenhouse gas HFCs by Athens 2004, yet most of its Sydney 2000 refrigeration equipment did not meet the Guidelines.
• Samsung's eleventh hour use of 324 Greenfreeze units did not compensate for its use of 1000 bar fridges run on greenhouse gas HFCs.
• McDonald's provided only nine small Guideline-complying freezers.

Solar sell out

Greenpeace campaigned for solar power to be used in as many Olympic venues as possible. Sadly, solar electric systems were not used in the Media Village, and organisers dropped plans to include a cutting edge solar thermal power station on the site.

And now?

Greenpeace works to promote the environmental solutions developed for the Olympics internationally.

Read the media release on the Sydney Olympics wins and losses