Many cafes and coffee-selling outlets in Kent are investing money in compostable or recyclable drink cups. While this is a well-meaning positive step, most cups still end up in general waste bins due to a combination of factors, including:
- Waste collection infrastructure
- Customer behaviour
- Availability of recycling bins in town centres
- Consumer knowledge gap
This pilot project aimed to reduce waste and contamination through sustainable solutions. The pilot also educated consumers, changed customer behaviour (e.g. by encouraging people to “drink in”) and supported the local economy.
The Kent Coffee Cup Project was a collaboration between coffee-selling outlets such as Garage Roasted , Produced in Kent and local supply chains. The partnership worked to develop:
- Paper cups that can be recycled kerbside
- Public coffee cup reuse/recycling campaign
- Dedicated paper collection infrastructure
- Replicable solutions for other ‘disposable’ items