Football clubs across the UK are stepping into the 21st Century with a surge in large-scale renovation projects. These include the restoration of iconic football stadiums and local clubs at grassroots level.

And they are all aiming to improve their sustainability credentials, with developers looking for more eco-friendly building solutions which don't impact quality.

Key to this drive is a hidden component that most football fans will know nothing about.

Sealant and adhesives experts UniBond (www.unibond.co.uk) are encouraging builders to adopt its innovative Next Generation of Cartridges which has the potential to save significant levels of CO2 and plastic waste.

Typically, sealant comes in plastic cartridges that, once used, become contaminated with adhesive or residue, meaning the entire pack is destined for general waste. Apply this to the wealth of iconic renovations taking place across the country, and the level of waste is substantial.

A new 100,000-seater football stadium, for example, could use upwards of 45,000 cartridges of sealant across its roof and seats alone - that's the equivalent of 1.4 tonnes of plastic and seven tonnes of CO2.

"I'll be honest, I had no idea the amount of plastic waste that came from those old sealant cartridges," said former footballer, manager and ambassador for UniBond Harry Redknapp.

"I'm going through my own home renovation now and its definitely made me think. It's great to see more sustainable products like the UniBond Next Generation of Cartridges available. What a game-changing impact there would be if football stadium renovations made the switch."

The UniBond Next Generation of Cartridges offers a powerful, immediate solution to this challenge, reducing plastic waste by an impressive 51% thanks to its innovative, recyclable cartridge. If deployed across that same football stadium project, it has the potential to save the equivalent of 280,000 plastic bags, or one passenger flying 29,000 miles: about the same as making one hundred one-way flights from London to Paris.

The impact isn't limited to large-scale developments; switching to a more sustainable tool closer to home can also make a big difference. 44% of homeowners are interested in undertaking renovation work on their properties over the next two years. According to UniBond, this means an estimated 13 million cartridges of sealant will be required to cover key features such as bathrooms, toilets, kitchens, doors, windows, and loft conversions.

A switch to UniBond's Next Generation of Cartridges, made of at least 49% recycled plastic components (the plastic cap, nozzle and piston) and with a recycled and recyclable cardboard cartridge, could save the equivalent of 76 million plastic bags. Furthermore, it would save nearly 2,000 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent to one passenger travelling 8 million miles, enabling everyone to play their part in building a more sustainable future.

"At UniBond, we are actively encouraging the industry to adopt environmentally responsible solutions as a crucial first step toward more sustainable renovations," added Eve Kolesova, the UK&I Head of Marketing at UniBond.

"Sealant cartridges are often overlooked as a contributor to construction waste, so it has been our goal with our Next Generation of Cartridges to provide a solution that not only performs exceptionally but significantly reduces environmental impact."

UniBond's Next Generation of Cartridges was unveiled at ScrewFix Live in September 2025 and will be available across all major DIY retailers nationwide soon.