No plans to ban plastics

KARDINIA Park looks set to continue dishing out plastic straws, cutlery and plates, despite the MCG’s plan to ban single-use plastics.

The Melbourne Cricket Club is investigating phasing out single-use plastic at bars, cafes and restaurants, despite the challenge of eliminating packaging such as pie wrappers in a 100,000-seat venue.

Plastic plates have been replaced with paper, and plastic cutlery will be swapped out for wooden cutlery.

But the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust would not directly answer questions about whether it would ban singleuse plastic or when a ban would take place.

It also would not reveal if it planned to ban single-use coffee cups.

Chief executive Gerard Griffin said the trust supported the reduction of single-use plastics “and in time, aspires to be an industry leader in sustainability”.

“The trust will continue to investigate and monitor best practice around the world while having discussions with key partners such as the Geelong Football Club and its suppliers on the improvement of the stadium’s environmental footprint,” Mr Griffin said.

Kardinia Park would not say if it would ban soft plastic packaging.

In the last financial year, the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust became a member of the Sports Environment Alliance, which focuses on how sporting organisations can be more sustainable.

The trust has also partnered with Barwon Water and Vic Health to install 10 water stations around the stadium.