Shenzhen, China: Last week’s Volvo China Open set itself apart from the previous 27 editions of the tournament by stopping sales of single-use plastic bottles across the venue with the help of unique refill stations from Bluewater, a world leader in hydrating events with innovative refill stations.

In a move that saw 41,215 330 ml (millilitre) plastic water bottles saved from polluting the planet’s oceans, landfills, and natural environments, 17 Bluewater stations were installed across the Asian Tour event at Hidden Grace Golf Club to provide complementary purified drinking water to players, staff and fans.

Harnessing Bluewater’s SuperiorOsmosis technology, the stations served purified water free of known contaminants, including toxic metals, chemicals, and micro-plastic particles.

Zhao Qin, Chairperson of the Volvo China Open, said Volvo and Bluewater both hail from Sweden and share the same environmental and sustainability values.

She said that doing things that are right for the environment is core to Volvo as a brand, adding that ‘our engagement with Bluewater sets a new standard for protecting the environment, which is something we intend to keep doing at future events’.

Bluewater China General Manager China Steven Tan said the company was honoured to have helped Volvo ‘green’ the tournament, the first golf event in China to kick out plastic bottles to prioritise a more sustainable future.

Tan said: “The Bluewater activity at the Volvo China Open builds on our experience delivering a sustainable water eco-sphere with the likes of The Open and AIG Women’s Open in the United Kingdom over the past few years.

“It fully aligns with our sustainability mission to innovate hydration technologies and beverages that allow consumers and businesses to generate pure water at the point of use and thereby avoid the need for single-use plastic bottles and their polluting production and transportation.”

Bluewater reusable bottles were available for sale throughout the tournament for those who forgot to bring their own bottle or who wanted a uniquely branded souvenir from the Volvo China Open.

Bluewater Founder and CEO Bengt Rittri said: “Bluewater has again shown organisers of major events that they have it in their power to ultimately halt the sale of single-use plastic bottles and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations.

“Our growing co-operation with major corporate brands in the events space underlines their commitment to challenging the stranglehold of single-use plastic bottles with smart hydration alternatives, changing the way we consume water because the hard truth is that such plastics pose a tangible threat to planetary and human health.”