Hong Kong Sevens hoping fans embrace 250,000 reusable ‘stack cups’ to cut down on waste
- In a bold move, the Hong Kong Rugby Union will roll out approximately a quarter of a million reusable ‘stack cups’ in a bid to cut down on the tournament’s carbon footprint
- HKRU boss Robbie McRobbie said the South Stand will be exempt in the cups’ trial run
Hong Kong Rugby Union’s chief executive officer Robbie McRobbie said there is one notable exception when it comes to rolling out a plan for Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens fans to use a quarter of a million reusable “stack cups” for beer at this year’s event.
“The first thing to note is we’re not putting the reusable cups into the South Stand,” said McRobbie, who noted they also consulted the Hong Kong Police concerning the 500-millilitre cups which feature handles so they can be stacked during transport.
McRobbie said the current rule of no jugs in the South Stand will stay in place as well for this year, however one litre cups will be continue to be sold in the area.
“We looked at a lot of designs and felt this was the best one for us.”
Hong Kong Sevens patrons will pay a HK$10 deposit to get one by Octopus or cash, which they can get back when they return it, or drop it in a charity collection bin for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The cups are made of fully recycled plastic and have a lifespan of five years.
The stack cups have been used at the AsiaWorld-Expo centre and McRobbie said they have also consulted a number of rugby unions, primarily in Europe, who have used the reusable stack cups at events.