NEWPORT, R.I. — 11th Hour Racing will become a “sustainability sponsor” for the 15th annual Amica Newport Marathon, the organization announced Oct. 2.

The Newport-based nonprofit works with the sailing community and maritime industries to “advance solutions and practices that protect and restore the health of our ocean.” At the marathon, scheduled for Oct. 13, the company will provide waste-sorting stations to divert landfill waste, with compostables processed at Ragged Island Brewing in Portsmouth. To further reduce waste, marathon shirts offered to participants will be optional and will come without plastic wrapping, and water stations will help limit plastic bottle use.

After the event, organizers will measure and weigh all waste to assess its environmental footprint, with the goal of reducing the impact each year.

“At 11th Hour Racing, we are known for using sports as a platform for environmental change, and we hope to inspire both participants and organizers to continue these sustainable practices beyond race day,” said Megan Campbell, communications manager for the organization.

After the 2014 race, Newport officials asked the sponsor that year, Eident Sports Marketing of Providence, to pay for repairs to sand dunes damaged during the popular road race. The city sought more than $4,800 to restore a dune system that separates Memorial Boulevard from Easton’s Beach, also known as First Beach.

According to Erik Reis, then beach manager at Easton’s Beach, many of the 5,000 runners trampled the dunes as they climbed over the natural barriers to reach the starting line in the beach parking lot. Spectators caused further damage as they stood atop the dunes to watch the start of the races.

A repair estimate to the 100-foot-long coastal feature included planting more than 5,000 beachgrass seedlings to cover 4,000 square feet of damaged dunes and 84 hours of labor.

The Amica marathon team hopes this year to leave the race venue and course in better condition than they found it by taking proactive measures to minimize the event’s environmental footprint, according to race organizers. The partnership with 11th Hour Racing aims to boost the marathon’s existing sustainability efforts and introduce new initiatives to set a higher standard for environmentally conscious events, demonstrating initiatives that can be replicated at any venue.

“With Rhode Island’s central landfill expected to reach capacity by 2040, we continue to support local events to equip them with the tools and resources to achieve their sustainability goals,” said Lorraine McKenna, sponsorship director at 11th Hour Racing. “Our goal is to inspire both participants and organizers to embrace environmentally friendly practices, not just during the event but in their daily lives, showing that small changes can lead to significant positive outcomes.”