Recycling of Cups

[parsonjack]

Bit of a surprise last night watching Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's expose of the coffee giants misleading claims that their coffee cups are recyclable - which seems to be some way from the truth.

Obviously GFL have made moves to cut down on cup waste with introduction of the steel cups...but does anyone know if the paper cups still in use that we all so diligently place in the 'recycling' bins actually are recycled?  

Seems that the majority of these type of cups can't be recycled due to the polyethylene content that keeps them from leaking...and they also can't be made from recycled paper as it contains a level of dyes that is not permitted due to the risk of leeching into the content.

Interestingly he also spoke to a guy who has invented a fully recyclable cup and is trying to get the coffee giants interested...perhaps GFL should give him a call.

 

 

[stuartbert two hats]

Yeah, I was pretty surprised when that popped up on my Facebook feed this morning.  I'd be even more surprised if the Glastonbury cups aren't recyclable either - they certainly get damp after a while and don't have to cope with the high temperatures, but you never know, maybe they're not.

[parsonjack]

Quick browse here...

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information./green-glastonbury/our-green-policies/

...suggests that the cups and plates are not recycled but are composted instead.  That would explain why there are specific bins for 'Cups & Plates'.

 

[M_Il]

That program was quite alarming I had no idea 

[Rumblestripe]

By coincidence I had started carrying a "thermomug" in my car to have my coffee in (Just take it into the Coffee Emporium of your choice and they will happily put said caffeine hit into the vessel of your choice) I'd like to claim it was some prescient green initiative of my own but it was just that it keeps my coffee hotter!

I suspect that the cups used at the festival are "waxed" rather than plastic coated hence why they do go soggy after a while but does make them compostable?

[M_Il]

They were also saying on the program the cups can't be made of recyclable material and that it has to come from virgin wood not very good considering the UK disposes of 5000 every minute. 

[M_Il]

There is one plant in the whole of the U.K. That deals with and recycles disposed of coffee cups less than 1% of Costa Coffeee cups unfortunately they are the only chain that uses it at the moment. These programs do make you think a bit and opens your eyes to the scale of the problem