The Paris Marathon just went cup-free. Is Boston next?

The Paris Marathon made history on Sunday by demanding that athletes do so Carry their own water containersputting an end to the familiar sight of hydration stations surrounded by a storm of treaded paper cups.

With less than a week to go before thousands gather in Hopkinton for the 26.2-mile trek to Back Bay, will the Boston Marathon follow suit?

not quite; According to Chris Lotsbaum, director of communications and media for the Boston Athletic Association, “there is no new news to report” regarding the Boston Marathon. Aid stations.

However, the marathon’s environmental footprint remains a major issue for race organisers. Hydration stations along the Boston Marathon route accounted for about 7.7 tons of discarded single-use cups in 2025, but the use of compostable cups and collection bags diverted waste away from landfills, according to a new study. BAA Sustainability Report.

The marathon’s water stations may remain unchanged for now, but Lutzboom said the BAA is moving away from single-use cups for the Boston 5K race, which is expected to draw 10,000 athletes downtown Saturday.

“All cups are reusable and will be collected and washed for use in other races,” Lutzboom explained. “We are asking all athletes to throw their cups into designated bins to keep the paths clear for fellow runners. This is the first time these cups will be used at our events.”

BAA is supplying 30,000 reusable cups from whirlwinda company that supplies silicone cups to race organizers, which then collects and sterilizes them for reuse.

In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether organizers of other major world marathons will follow Paris’s lead.

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work covers public transportation, crime, health, and everything in between.