(L-R): James Capel (from Simply Waste) with Simply Cups' giant cup ‘Cupbert’ and Nick Cliffe (from Closed Loop)
Coffee shop chain Costa Coffee has announced that it has joined the UK’s first paper cup recycling scheme, Simply Cups.
Waste management firms Closed Loop Environmental Solutions (parent company of Dagenham-based plastic reprocessor Closed Loop Recycling) and Simply Waste Solutions launched the scheme on 1 August, but held its official launch party this morning at the Emirates Stadium in London.
It was at the Simply Cups launch that Costa Coffee, which operates 1,175 outlets in the UK, announced it had become the latest retailer to join the scheme. Other members include national retailer John Lewis Partnership, catering and facilities management companies BaxterStorey and ISS Facility Services, as well as cup manufacturers Huhtamaki and Solo Cup Europe. Founding members also include the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the Automated Vending Association and Keep Britain Tidy.
‘Developing sustainable solutions to reduce the impact of our cups on the environment’
Speaking of the decision, Ollie Rosevear, Energy and Environment Manager at Whitbread (the parent company of Costa Coffee), said: “Costa is delighted to join the Simply Cups partnership as part of our wider commitment to explore innovative ways to take a holistic approach towards a sustainable lifecycle of our cups.
“Costa is always looking for new innovations, partnerships and collaborative efforts to lead the way in developing sustainable solutions to reduce the impact of our cups on the environment. Our membership of Simply Cups is a great example of this ongoing work.”
He added that the chain has also recently launched a new cup that evenly distributes heat around the exterior, lowering the apparent temperature and ensuring that ‘customers’ hands do not get too hot when holding a single cup’.
It is hoped that this could eliminate unnecessary waste such as coffee collars or ‘double cupping’.
Closed Loop’s Peter Goodwin urged other organisations that ‘recognise the commercial value of taking their corporate social and environmental responsibilities seriously’ to join up to the scheme.
He said: “The calibre of members that have now signed up to our service is actively persuading other organisations, who recognise the commercial value of taking their corporate social and environmental responsibilities seriously, to also join up and address the increasingly difficult issue of cup recycling.”
Simply Cups provides paper cup manufacturers, organisations operating in the supply chain as well as beverage and hospitality outlets with a collection and recycling service to recover the paper and plastic used in the production of the disposable drinking containers.
Find out more about Simply Cups.
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.