Whether they’re celebrating or drowning their sorrows, Super Bowl attendees will be drinking beer out of branded, recyclable aluminum cups this year.

In response to growing consumer preference for more sustainable products, Centerplate, the concessions vendor of Super Bowl LIV, has partnered with Bud Light and container manufacturer Ball Corporation to supply 50,000 recyclable aluminum cups for Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium – host of the big game.

This year’s Super Bowl will feature branded, recyclable aluminum cups.

“We developed the aluminum cup to ensure it meets growing demand for more green products, and we’re excited that our partnership will give this year’s Super Bowl fans the opportunity to do better by the environment,” said John Hayes, chairman and CEO of Ball, in a press release.

Ball rolled out its 20-ounce aluminum cups last September with a series of pilot programs at concession stands inside major venues across the country, Adweek reported. Hard Rock Stadium became the first to implement the cups at scale during the Miami Dolphins’ final home game of the season. After the Super Bowl, the cups will continue to be available at Hard Rock Stadium throughout the year for Miami Dolphins games, University of Miami college football games, international soccer matches, concerts and all other events. As a result, the aluminum cups will help eliminate more than 500,000 plastic cups annually from Hard Rock Stadium’s supply chain, the companies said.

In 2018, the National Football League instituted a zero-waste program for the Super Bowl that was able to recover 91% of game-day trash. Two-thirds of the waste was recycled and the other third composted, according to the league.

“We are always striving to be leaders in providing innovative solutions for our clients and guests, especially in support of our mission, vision and values,” said Steve Pangburn, CEO of Centerplate. “This is another example of a forward-looking enhancement that will help us reduce our environmental impact in the months and years ahead, not only in Miami, but in support of our global mission to make it better to be there in the communities which we serve.”

According to industry trade group The International Aluminum Institute, 75% of aluminum produced in the United States is still in use today. In addition to being infinitely recyclable, the aluminum cup is lightweight and sturdy and can be customized with logos and graphics, as it will be for Super Bowl LIV.

The aluminum cup rollout comes amid a “green wave” sweeping the U.S. A growing number of municipalities, cities and states are considering or actively trying to ban single-use plastics, such as bags, straws and other items. The world produces more than 300 million tons of plastic each year, according to Statista, and scientists estimate that up to 91% of plastic is never recycled, polluting the environment and threatening wildlife.

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