Looking to reduce plastic cup waste Adelaide Oval will now serve alcohol in cans

Fans attending events at the Adelaide Oval will soon be served alcohol in cans after the approval of a new liquor licence for the venue.

With the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority (AOSMA) having applied to sell drinks in aluminium cans to reduce the amount of litter it has to process, South Australia’s Consumer and Business Services Commissioner has this week approved the licence, reinstating the serving of canned beverages to customers in public areas instead of pouring them into plastic cups.

Welcoming the approval Adelaide Oval Chief Operating Officer, Adam Vonthethoff told ABC Radio Adelaide “this is just an extension of what we're already doing in our corporate areas.”

Even though the cups used at Adelaide Oval are recyclable, Vonthethoff said using fewer cups would be more environmentally friendly.

He said he was not aware of safety being an issue at sporting venues interstate or at the Beer and BBQ Festival at Adelaide's Wayville Showgrounds earlier this month.

He said SA Police had supported the application and noted "the proposed penalties for any person who was not acting in a safe manner".

The Police Association of South Australia raised concerns that cans would be used as projectiles against its members with Association President Mick Carroll saying that South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens had committed a "massive about-face".

Carroll noted “he's simply dismissed police officers' concerns about their safety and instead sided with the Stadium Management Authority.

"We know as an absolute matter of fact that thugs at sporting events have used full cans of beer as projectiles.”