The recycling service is a fully integrated disposal, collection and recycling solution for used cups, available for UK mainland businesses, including cafes, restaurants, service stations and supermarkets
Biffa introduces single-use paper cups recycling scheme. (Credit: Biffa)
Waste management company Biffa has rolled out a national recycling scheme for single-use hot and cold takeaway drink cups in the UK.
The recycling service is a fully integrated disposal, collection and recycling solution for used cups.
The recycling scheme will be available for UK mainland businesses, including cafes, restaurants, service stations and supermarkets.
Biffa, which already has a disposable vape recycling service, said that more than 62 million single-use tea, coffee, and cold drinks cups are thrown away in the UK every week.
Biffa’s reactive services team member Daniel Barrett said: “Far too many recyclable takeaway cups end up in general waste, preventing perfectly good cardboard from being transformed back into new products.
“But despite the eagerness of many businesses to become more sustainable and compliant, the UK lacked sufficient options for the convenient and efficient nationwide recycling of these cups.
“Now, alongside our disposable vape recycling service and our leading position on surplus redistribution, our takeaway cup scheme shows how we’re actively reducing waste by helping people and businesses re-use, recycle and redistribute as much of it as possible so we can all leave a smaller footprint.”
The waste management company offers all the technical and practical assistance a business requires, including bins, bags, and cup disposal stations in addition to compliance advice.
After that, Biffa gathers, bulks, and bales the cups before transporting them to a paper mill in the UK where they are recycled into brand-new cardboard packaging.
The company said that recycling, in addition to reuse and surplus redistribution, results in lower carbon emissions than disposal and starting from scratch with virgin materials to create new products.
Biffa said its takeout cup recycling programme assists companies in embracing the circular economy and operating more sustainably. It also helps them to comply with any upcoming laws.