AN INVESTIGATION is under way into how London intends to stage the greenest Olympics ever’ in 2012. The London Assembly is looking into staging the Games to match the successful bidding made five years ago to play host and how the organisers plan to do it

By Mike Brooke

AN INVESTIGATION is under way into how London intends to stage 'the greenest Olympics ever' in 2012.

The London Assembly is looking into the environmental sustainability of staging the Games to match the successful bidding made five years ago to play host and how the organisers plan to make it a reality.

Sustaining the environment is one of the key themes of preparations for the event. The Assembly's environment committee investigation is examining what progress the Olympic Organising committee and the GLA are making in their preparations.

"London's Olympic bid promised these would be the greenest Games ever," said the Assembly's environment chair Murad Qureshi. "We need to ensure that work is underway now so we can achieve that pledge.

"London has big plans to reduce carbon emissions and recycle more of its waste. The 2012 Games are a chance to show how this can be done."

The Games are expected to produce around 8,250 tonnes of operational waste, similar to the amount produced in a London borough in one month, with around 40 percent expected to be food or food-contaminated packaging.

The organisers' aim is to send none of the waste directly to 'landfill' facilities, but to try and reuse, recycle or compost at least 70 per cent.

They also hope to reduce the 'carbon footprint' during the two weeks of the Games by reusing materials to fit out the venues and improved waste separation systems to make recycling easier.