Councilman Abreu moves to allow reusable containers in all NYC sports venues

City Councilman Shaun Abreu is planning to introduce a bill Thursday that would require sports venues to allow patrons to bring reusable beverage containers into events — a measure aimed at reducing trash that could also save fans money they would have otherwise spent on in-house beverages.

“Single-use plastic is a huge part of our waste problem. … Fossil fuels go into producing it and transporting it. Delivery trucks then clog up our streets to deliver it. And after someone drinks the water, the bottle might be recycled or it might end up in a landfill or it might end up as litter on the street,” Abreu (D-Manhattan) told the Daily News. “This is our chance to step up to the plate and ensure that the major sports venues that serve hundreds of thousands of fans across our city are doing their part to reduce waste and encourage environmentally-conscious behaviors.”

Under the bill, a draft of which The News obtained exclusively, sports venues would be prohibited from banning reusable containers, but would be able to require they be empty upon entry and restrict the type of container allowed through specifying size and material requirements.

If approved by the Council and Mayor Adams as is, the Health Department and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection would enforce the bill’s provisions, which include fines from anywhere between $500 and $1,000.

Requirements on what patrons can and can’t bring into an arena vary from venue to venue and aren’t always clear.

Yankee Stadium forbids hard-sided containers of any size, as well as glass bottles or cans. CitiField’s rules stipulate that “guests may bring in one, soft, plastic, factory-sealed water bottle of 20 ounces or less.” And Madison Square Garden prohibits “cans (including aerosols), bottles, boxed liquids, and metal, glass, or other insulated containers” on its premises.

Part of Abreu’s aim is to make the rules uniform across venues throughout the city, which is part of the reason why the Natural Resources Defense Council is getting behind it.

“It’s both the actual reduction of waste and the model it sets for all New Yorkers,” said that group’s environment director, Eric Goldstein. “Making a standard will help everyone. There’s a real benefit in having a uniform policy across the city so New Yorkers can understand what the rules of the game are.”