This circular economy pilot project, spearheaded by València Innovation Capital, Valencia CF, AIMPLAS, and the Municipal Sports Foundation, transforms bottle caps into equipment for municipal facilities affected by the DANA
The collection drive, which is now being expanded to include the XII Gay Games Valencia 2026, has taken place during league matches, as well as at other events organized by the Valencian Community Hockey Federation and the Valencia Premier Padel P1.
The circular economy and solidarity project “Tapones por el deporte,” launched by València Innovation Capital in partnership with Valencia CF, AIMPLAS, and the Municipal Sports Foundation, continues to expand its reach and presence at major sporting events in the city. Following its launch at Mestalla Stadium and the Valencia CF Sports Complex, the initiative will take another major step forward during the XII Gay Games Valencia 2026.
In conjunction with this international event, new collection points for plastic bottle caps will be set up in some of the areas with the highest number of participants and visitors. Specifically, the collection effort will include the opening ceremony, which will be held at the Ciutat de València Stadium on June 27, throughout the week of activities at the Meeting Point in Section III of the Turia Gardens, as well as at the closing ceremony at the Fuente de San Lluís Municipal Pavilion on July 4.
This expansion will make it possible to significantly increase the number of bottle caps collected during one of the largest sporting and inclusive events the city will host, reinforcing Valencia’s commitment to sustainability and the circular economy as applied to sports.
Paula Llobet, the councilor for Innovation, noted that “expanding the bottle cap collection initiative to the XII Gay Games Valencia 2026 reinforces Valencia’s commitment to useful and sustainable innovation, capable of transforming small acts by citizens into real benefits for sports and for the city.”
For her part, the councilor for sports, Rocío Gil, emphasized that “through this campaign, which we are extending to include a large-scale event like the Gay Games, we continue to work on fostering a spirit of solidarity and responsibility in Valencian sports.”
An ever-expanding collection network
The inclusion of the XII Gay Games Valencia 2026 joins other partnerships that have already made it possible to expand the project to new sports facilities. Since last February, the Valencian Community Hockey Federation has been actively participating in the initiative by collecting bottle caps at the Verge del Carme-Beteró sports center.
In addition, from June 6 to 14, the Font de Sant Lluís pavilion also served as a collection point during the Valencia Premier Padel P1 tournament, helping to increase the amount of material recovered for subsequent recycling and recovery.
From Waste to New Sports Equipment
The bottle caps collected through this initiative are processed and recycled to be turned into new products and equipment for municipal sports facilities. Thanks to the technical collaboration of AIMPLAS, this plastic waste is transformed into high-quality raw material used to manufacture items such as street furniture and sports equipment, helping to reduce waste and promote a more responsible consumption model.
The project has three objectives: to reduce the environmental impact of major sporting events, to raise public awareness about the importance of recycling, and to generate tangible social benefits through the creation of new equipment for municipal sports facilities.
With the addition of the 12th Gay Games Valencia 2026 and the gradual expansion of collection points, “Tapones por el deporte” continues to establish itself as a strategic initiative that brings together sports, innovation, and sustainability, turning every major sporting event into an opportunity to promote the circular economy and civic engagement.
Valencia Urban Sandbox
In addition, “Tapones por el deporte” is part of Valencia’s Sandbox Urbano program, an initiative launched by the Valencia City Council that transforms the city into a
a real-world testing environment for innovative solutions with social, environmental, and economic impact. Through this framework, the project can validate new circular economy models applied to major sporting events, fostering collaboration among public entities, companies, and technology centers to address real urban challenges.
In this regard, the initiative illustrates how the Urban Sandbox makes it possible to transform innovative ideas into tangible solutions that improve sustainability and citizens’ quality of life.