Sometimes there’s nothing better than popping into your local coffee shop and picking up your favourite hot beverage. It might be an Americano for the caffeine-fiend, or a marshmallow and whipped cream-topped hot chocolate for those with a sweet tooth. Some people opt to take away their drink in a reusable coffee cup. Others are happy to make use of the disposable coffee cups provided by the baristas.
But how many of us have given a second thought to where the disposable cups actually end up? Unfortunately, there is a common misconception over just how recyclable these takeaway coffee cups are. Although the majority of disposable coffee cups are made from recyclable paper, they are in fact also lined with plastic polyethylene. This makes the cups waterproof and enables them to hold liquid, but also makes them increasingly difficult to recycle.
According to Greenpeace, there are currently only three recycling facilities in the UK which have the means to split the paper from the plastic polyethylene. Hence, less than 1% of the 2.5 billion disposable cups distributed yearly are actually recycled.
Latte Levy
In a report released on Friday, the government’s environmental watchdog, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), recommends a ‘latte levy’; a 25p charge that is added to all hot drinks that are served in disposable coffee cups. It’s a similar concept to the plastic bag 5p tax, which saw an incredible 85% reduction in the use of single-use plastic bags in its first year. The ECA hopes that this will encourage us to ditch the takeaway coffee cup and instead opt for a reusable alternative.
The EAC also recommends that by 2023, all coffee cups should be fully recyclable. Furthermore, if they aren’t, then they should be banned.
Myakka’s Reusable Coffee Cup
The best way to ensure that you’re being as environmentally friendly as possible when getting your coffee fix (and saving yourself 25p every time!) is to purchase a reusable coffee cup. It’s a great alternative to the disposable cups provided in coffee shops. At Myakka, we love our environmentally-responsible Reusable Ecoffee Cups. Made from natural bamboo fibre, one of the world’s most sustainable resources, they’re BPA and phthalate free.
Deceptively sturdy at just 135g each, they’re light and fully dishwasher safe. Plus, they have a resealable ‘no-drip’ lid for drinks on the go. Available in 11 styles and colours, there’s a design for everyone. Furthermore, they’re currently only £6.70 in our Winter Sale. There’s really no excuse not to grab your very own reusable coffee cup!
If you’re looking for other ways to be environmentally responsible, why not purchase one of our Myakka Jute Shoppers? Beat the 5p carrier bag charge with this stylish, practical and reusable shopper. Originally sourced as an alternative to plastic bags, they have more uses than we could possibly list. And they’re fair trade too!
