Greenpeace has called on Kai Tak Stadium to allow reusable cups after an estimated 510,000 paper cups were used during the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament over the weekend. Volunteers at the stadium estimated that 60 per cent of the 860,000 pieces of disposable tableware generated during the three-day tournament were paper cups, the green group said on Monday – a day after the event concluded. With the stadium banning visitors from bringing drinking containers, the consumption of paper cups was “alarming,” said Greenpeace campaigner Leanne Tam at a press conference, adding that Kai Tak Sports Park’s sustainability efforts were simply a “façade.” “If waste reduction is to be realised, reusable cups are definitely the right solution,” Tam said. This year marked the first time that the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium – the centrepiece of Kai Tak Sports Park, inaugurated in early March – hosted the Sevens, previously held at the Hong Kong Stadium in Causeway Bay. The government has touted the sports park, which cost HK$30 billion to build, as a “state-of-the-art” venue for holding large-scale events in a bid to boost tourism amid the city’s slow recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Greenpeace made similar calls in the past – as early as January – saying it was disappointing that the venue had prohibited spectators from bringing their own drinking containers. On March 9, it said the Kai Tak Arena’s management had “violated its own rules” by providing plastic bottled water to VIPs at a snooker tournament while banning people from bringing drinks into the venue. ‘Double standards’ The group also said on Monday that glass and plastic bottles, as well as canned drinks, were seen in the stadium’s corporate box, adding that the sports park had “again violated its own rules” and exhibited “double standards.” When the Hong Kong Stadium allowed reusable cups in 2019, the Sevens tournament generated 300,000 fewer disposable cups, Greenpeace said, citing figures from Hong Kong China Rugby, the sport’s governing body in Hong Kong and the organiser of the tournament. Similar arrangements were available at the 2023 and 2024 tournaments as well, the NGO said. Greenpeace also cited sources as saying that the rugby union had offered to provide reusable cups to Kai Tak Stadium, but the arrangement fell through. The group said it had enquired with the rugby union and the sports park’s management, but, as of Monday morning, it had not received any response. It also urged Kai Tak Sports Park to explain to the public why reusable cups were not used during the tournament. HKFP has contacted the stadium for comment. Noise complaints Separately, Kowloon City District Councillor Cheung King-fan said he received noise complaints from residents living in the vicinity of the sports park. Cheung told RTHK on Monday that he planned to address those concerns with the district council and the Environmental Protection Department, which oversees noise pollution complaints. Attended by more than 110,000 spectators, the Hong Kong Sevens came to an end on Sunday, with Argentina’s men winning their first title in the city by beating France 12-7. New Zealand clinched a victory in the women’s division for the third straight year, defeating Australia 26-19. The stadium is gearing up for Coldplay’s concerts next week. The British band will play four sold-out shows, marking the first major international music act to perform at the venue. Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team