The 2019 runDisney season is imminent and Disney has teamed up with Chiquita as the official banana sponsor of the event, bringing tons of bananas to runners and spectators alike, as well as introducing a recycling program in an effort to boost sustainability.

As the official banana sponsor of the event, Chiquita has vowed to supply this weekend’s race events with over 100,000 bananas to keep racers and spectators fueled and full of potassium. You might be asking yourself, “How does one dispose of over 100,000 banana peels? Is this task too large, even for the Walt Disney Company?” Well, Chiquita has a plan to implement a banana peel collection and recycling process that will be in place throughout the 2018-2019 runDisney race season.

To strategically collect the most peels possible, Chiquita will be placing their own branded waste bins along race finish line areas throughout the race season. The new collection process will be in effect for all 2019 runDisney events and has the potential to recycle nearly 14 tons of banana peel scraps. That’s 28,000 pounds of banana peels! Rather than having these banana peels lay in landfills, they will be put towards the creation of fertilizer and used to generate electricity. You read that right, Disney and Chiquita are teaming up to pull some serious Epcot-like initiatives.

“We’re always looking for ways to strengthen our commitment to the environment, and the banana peel collection and recycling process is the newest element of our environmental strategy for runDisney,” said Angie Renner, Walt Disney World’s environmental integration director.

“We’re excited to work with Chiquita to implement a recycling program where we can work together with our guests to reduce food waste from landfills.”

“Chiquita aspires to be a ‘Good Neighbor,’ and is committed to making a difference with consumers and the communities we serve. We want to leverage our global recognition and the reach of our Blue Sticker, especially when it comes to promoting recycling and a cleaner environment,” said Jamie Postell, Chiquita’s director of sales North America. “We hope the spectators and runners at ‘The Most Magical Place on Earth’ will see the stickers on our bananas and remember that Chiquita commits to recycling efforts for a more sustainable planet.”

It seems like Disney and Chiquita are learning to live with the land. Will you be a part of these efforts during this weekend’s marathon events?

To read more on Walt Disney World Marathon Weekends, check out the new merchandise for this weekend’s event, as well as all the dates for 2019-2020 runDisney Races.