Member Blog: Simply Waste introduces the first dedicated cup collecting and recycling scheme in the UK

Simply Cups, a partnership between Closed Loop Environmental Solutions and Simply Waste Solutions, is the first dedicated cup collecting and recycling scheme in the UK.

Launched in 2014, it offers a recycling solution to the ‘unrecyclable’ coffee cup along with all types of paper and plastic disposable cups. Using Simply waste’s operational infrastructure and Closed Loop’s experience providing comprehensive environmental solutions they formed a partnership that worked where many other had failed previously.

The cups are taken to a specialised reprocessing plant, which there are only three of in the UK. This is where they separate the plastic film from the paper, allowing for the materials to be recovered and recycled into new products. The recycled products are produced by one of UK’s leading companies in turning recycled waste into new products, ashortwalk.

The latest product to be launched by ashortwalk is the rCUP; the first re-usable cup made from used coffee cups. Other products include office stationary, notebooks and even park benches. The whole range of products available can be viewed on the Simply Cups website.

Being the first company dedicated to recycling cups was no mean feat and many people in the waste industry said it couldn’t be done. Simply Cups is proud to have changed public opinion on the need to recycle these cups, an example of this was taking part in the Square Mile Challenge. This initiative alone has resulted in over half a million cups being recycled in the City of London.

To find out more about how NRC and Simply Waste Solutions can design a cup recycling system for your business, contact NRC on [email protected] or 0845 299 6292.