• Spring naar de hoofdnavigatie
  • Door naar de hoofd inhoud
  • Spring naar de eerste sidebar
  • Spring naar de voettekst
+31 299 223800
info@simplycups.nl
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
Simply Cups

Simply Cups

‘s Werelds eerste en toonaangevende beker recyclingsysteem

  • Over Ons
    • Team
    • Prijzen & Erkenning
  • Assortiment
  • Lidmaatschap
    • Sluit je aan
    • Simply Cups Calculator
  • Beker Hub
  • Shop
    • rCup
    • Beker Recyclebakken
  • Klantportaal
  • Contact

To keep the momentum of circular economy brimming we need to battle for the cup

Some industry commentators have said that the paper cup issue is just a ‘storm in a tea cup’and that cup recycling is really not worth the effort; either economically or practically. Simply Cups disagrees strongly and counters these claims with strong arguments for why we should battle for the cup. Simply Cups disagrees strongly.

19th augustus 2016 door Nigel

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s ‘War on Waste’ programme has exposed the fact that so few paper cups are actually being recycled. Those inside the industry knew this all along but the public, it seems, didn’t and now feel cheated by some of the claims being made by the big coffee brands.

However, according to some industry commentators, this is just a ‘storm in a tea cup’ and despite only 1 in 400 cups are being recycled – even though most carry the ‘recyclable symbol’ – cup recycling is really not worth the effort, either economically or practically.

Simply Cups disagrees strongly. We would say that, you might be thinking, given that we run the UK’s only workable cup recycling scheme.  There are, however, some very clear reasons why the industry needs to promote paper cup recycling, not least because it is representative of a wider failing in UK recycling systems and, therefore, should become a much higher priority.

My litter bin runneth over with cups

We know that, by weight, paper cups represent a small percentage of overall packaging disposed in the UK, but with more than fifty thousand tonnes a year of virgin paper fibre and plastics, which make up the paper coffee cup, being landfilled or incinerated we believe this represents a massive problem. The miserable statistics have certainly captured the attention of the public so let’s look at these in some more detail.

Paper cups are, undisputedly, the UK’s fastest growing waste stream. When we started Simply Cups in 2014, we conservatively estimated that 2.5 billion cups were being used each year. Three years in, we now believe the true figure is closer to twice this amount and, when you add in plastic cups which also suffer the same fate, the overall size of the problem is likely to be over 10 billion cups per annum, and is set to grow further.

Whilst paper cups are light in weight, they are extremely voluminous, so it doesn’t take many to fill a bin or a bag. You only have to visit a typical high street or floor walk an office to realise how visible cups are and how easily they clog up waste bins, which significantly increases waste costs for both the taxpayer and businesses.

Being so pervasive, paper cups are now the most significant contaminant to a mixed recycling stream; no doubt because, up until recently, the public thought their used cups could be treated like other paper products. So, as we know, when contaminate mixed recyclables are consigned to general waste the consequences of this are significant costs to businesses and a major loss of a valuable resource, in the form of recyclable material.  Just recently, the Recycling Association has warned that if coffee cups are forced into paper recycling streams, as suggested by some quarters, then the quality of the reprocessed material at the paper mill will quickly diminish to an unacceptable level.

What’s the use of a symbol if it doesn’t deliver?

One of the most important failings that the paper cup issue has highlighted is the need to be more transparent with the consumer. We believe that it is no longer acceptable for cups to be ‘recyclable’ and ‘compostable’; instead the public want to know what is actually recycled or composted and what into.

Sadly, our current labelling systems will not help them. The Mobius Loop, OPRL system and ‘seeding’ logo, all suggest a product is recyclable, collectable and compostable but, at the same time, absolves the producer of the responsibility of ensuring the packaging is recycled or composted.

What we all need to accept for this debate is that food packaging waste  is no longer someone else’s problem; instead it should be everyone’s responsibility with, in particular, a greater onus on the brands who are ultimately responsible for producing the packaging in the first place.

Recyclable cups are not the issue, Hugh

While we applaud Hugh’s programme in calling for cups to be recyclable – it is essential that they are actually recycled not just recyclable.

Let’s be perfectly clear, all cups, paper and plastic, in current use are recyclable; in fact anything can be recycled if you have or build a facility that can recycle it.

The real issue here is that these recyclable cups are not reaching their intended destination when they are disposed of in a mixed recycling bin; albeit that this has previously been limited to two specialist fibre recovery facilities in the UK.

Therefore, the problem is not the cup, nor the system, it’s both, and only when we design products that seamlessly match our systems will we be able to move away from the current problem.

It is really worth it?

It’s been argued that the energy, water, haulage and sorting costs required to recycle large volumes of disposable cups would not in itself be economically or environmentally sustainable.

Waste should be recycled where there is a net environmental and commercial benefit and rarely does turning waste into energy meet these criteria.

Paper Cup Bale 2

Image above: A fresh bale of cups recently sent for reprocessing

We have proved beyond doubt that there is already an economically and environmentally sustainable way to recover and recycle cups. Working with our customers to segregate at source, cups can be collected into stacking bins to deliver significant commercial benefits , including a substantial reduction in the number of times that bins need to be  emptied and significantly fewer bins that need to be collected.

This provides us with a rich source of quality material that we can then send to our re-processors. The development of our new polymer also means that we longer need to separate the plastic lining from the paper in what has been a resource intensive pulping process. The NextCupCycle, durable and mouldable resin, can then be used to make new functional products, many of which are now on sale through our website.

Image above: A selection of products made from recycled cups

Don’t give up on the cup!

The current debate is about far more than just recycling paper cups; it’s about addressing systemic failures in current systems and provides a circular solution to resource recovery. It’s also about how we design products and recycling systems that work in harmony and about moving to a more collaborative way of thinking. It should shape the way we inform, educate and engage with consumers so they know that when we ask them to do something, they have trust in the system and can see a benefit from their actions. This is not a time to give up and burn everything just because it’s the easiest option. Surely fifty thousand plus tonnes of valuable resource is worth keeping from landfill or incineration!

Category iconLaatste nieuws

Primaire Sidebar

Simply Cups Video’s

Mediabibliotheek

Pictogram

Annual Report 2019

1 bestand(en) 1.34 MB
Downloaden
Pictogram

Annual Report 2017

1 bestand(en) 1.10 MB
Downloaden
Pictogram

Annual Report 2015

1 bestand(en) 3.08 MB
Downloaden
Pictogram

Bin Catalogue

1 bestand(en) 453.89 KB
Downloaden
Pictogram

rCup Product Overview

1 bestand(en) 2.20 MB
Downloaden

Onderzoeken

Festival Republic Case Study

Vocalink Case Study

Leafield Case Study

Twitter

SimplyCupsSimply Cups@SimplyCups·
november 25, 2020

Great to see Simply Cups topping this list of companies innovating in recycling.

If you would like ... to find out more about cup recycling, please contact us on info@simplycups.co.uk or call 0808 168 8787

https://collectandrecycle.com/10-companies-innovating-in-the-recycling-space/

Reply on Twitter 1331627516734435331Retweet on Twitter 13316275167344353311Like on Twitter 13316275167344353311
SimplyCupsSimply Cups@SimplyCups·
september 24, 2020

Pleased to have provided the bins on this project. Look great don't they 😎 If you want to talk ... bins or cup recycling get in touch #cuprecycling #recycling

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/news/network-rail-introduces-coffee-cup-recycling-passengers-encouraged-to-sip-save-and-recycle-to-help-make-stations-greener/

Reply on Twitter 1309060732022071296Retweet on Twitter 1309060732022071296Like on Twitter 13090607320220712962
SimplyCupsSimply Cups@SimplyCups·
juli 30, 2020

We're on TV tonight. Simply Cups will have a segment in the Channel 5 show The Secret World of ... Rubbish at 8 pm tonight. #tvshow #channel5 #cuprecycling

Reply on Twitter 1288862959708643329Retweet on Twitter 12888629597086433292Like on Twitter 12888629597086433294
SimplyCupsSimply Cups@SimplyCups·
maart 18, 2020

Special Offer for World Recycling Day!

Get your cup recycling off to the best start with these ... offers when you sign up to the Simply Cups scheme by the end of March 2020
- one month free membership
- 10% off Regency cup bins
- a box of free rCUPs*

http://www.simplycups.co.uk/

Reply on Twitter 1240310107734454280Retweet on Twitter 1240310107734454280Like on Twitter 1240310107734454280

Archief

Footer

Simply Cups

Hertzstraat 3
1446TE Purmerend
Pays-Bas
+31 299 223800
info@simplycups.nl

Snel menu

  • Over Ons
  • Assortiment
  • Lidmaatschap
  • Contact

Privacy

  • Privacy beleid
  • Algemene voorwaarden
  • Sitemap

Nieuwsbrief

Ontvang het laatste nieuws, evenementen en aankondigingen rechtstreeks in je inbox.

Copyright © 2021 Simply Cups. Alle rechten voorbehouden. Terug naar boven

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

We maken gebruik van cookies om u de best mogelijke ervaring op onze website te bieden.

Voor meer informatie over welke cookies we gebruiken of om deze uit te schakelen gaat u naar de instellingen.

Simply Cups
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacyoverzicht

Deze site maakt gebruik van cookies, zodat wij je de best mogelijke gebruikerservaring kunnen bieden. Cookie-informatie wordt opgeslagen in je browser en voert functies uit zoals het herkennen wanneer je terugkeert naar onze site en helpt ons team om te begrijpen welke delen van de site je het meest interessant en nuttig vindt.

Strikt noodzakelijke cookies

Strikt noodzakelijke cookie moet te allen tijde worden ingeschakeld, zodat we je voorkeuren voor cookie-instellingen kunnen opslaan.

Als je deze cookie uitschakelt, kunnen we je voorkeuren niet opslaan . Dit betekent dat elke keer dat je deze site bezoekt het nodig is om cookies weer in te schakelen of uit te schakelen.