The waste management company says that it will ensure all waste produced across the 12 days of the Games is sustainably managed, treated and disposed of.

The Games will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports across 15 competition venues. As the biggest sporting event ever to be held in the West Midlands, it is expected to attract more than one million spectators to the city and have a global TV audience of 1.5 billion.

Birmingham 2022 is aiming to make this the first Commonwealth Games with a carbon-neutral legacy and set a benchmark for future Games.

Michael Topham, Biffa chief executive officer, said: ‘We’re delighted to have been chosen as a trusted provider, delivering the important task of ensuring the Games waste across the region is managed as sustainably as possible.’

Deborah Sackett, planning and delivery manager for Birmingham 2022 Cleaning, Catering and Waste, said: ‘We’re happy to be welcoming Biffa to Birmingham 2022 as the Official Waste Management and Recycling Provider. Biffa’s expertise in sustainably managing waste on a large scale will be critical in delivering the best experience possible for spectators, athletes, officials, and the media. Our ambition is to achieve zero waste to landfill and we will be working with Biffa on their support to help us deliver this.’

Darren Hall, chief operating officer of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said: ‘It is great to be partnering with Biffa as they become the Official Waste Management and Recycling Provider for Birmingham 2022. As the start of the Games quickly approaches, having the UK’s leading waste management service on board, underlines the importance of a sustainable Birmingham 2022 that leads the way for all other Commonwealth Games in the future.’