Defra has recently announced that it will be cancelling its plans to mandate a takeback scheme for single-use cups.
A Defra spokesperson said, “This Government will end our throwaway society and move us to a future where we keep our resources in use for longer and waste is reduced, while accelerating the path to net zero. Analysis has shown the mandatory takeback scheme for cups proposed by the previous Government would not have the intended impact on boosting recycling rates and reducing litter. It would cost £52 million to the government and industry, placing unnecessary burdens on business. This decision will allow businesses to focus on implementing our other collection and packaging reforms, which will support 21,000 jobs and stimulate more than £10 billion of investment in recycling capability during the next decade.”
David Gudgeon, Head of External Affairs at Reconomy Connect, said, “With more than three billion cups going to waste every year, according to research by Reconomy, and the current legislative landscape being fragmented, we had been anticipating the planned introduction of the mandatory takeback scheme to boost the recycling rates of cups and reduce waste. This announcement is therefore somewhat surprising, and we look forward to engaging with DEFRA to understand their analysis that led to this decision. Given this policy isn’t going to progress, the responsibility will now fall back to businesses and the waste industry who will need to work more closely together to come up with innovative solutions to build on the industry’s progress to date, lift recycling rates and create a more circular and sustainable future for our communities.”
Rob Tilsey, Fibre Operations Group Leader, James Cropper, said, “It is hugely disappointing to hear that the UK and devolved governments have decided not to proceed with the mandatory cup takeback policy. It was hoped that the scheme would increase recycling rates from 2.8% to approximately 40% – a huge increase considering there are an estimated 3.2 billion cups in circulation in the UK each year. At James Cropper, we have the capacity to recycle up to 750 million PE-lined cups a year, and currently, we are nowhere near that. It’s not the recycling of the cups that’s the problem – all paper cups used on the UK high street could be recycled – it’s the collection of the cups that is preventing progress.”
Tilsey concluded, “The takeback policy would have increased the dedicated collection points needed to separate single use cups from general refuse, making it easier for the public to recycle their cups. And it would have helped with ‘coffee cup confusion’, educating consumers and café staff on which cups can be recycled and how. But, despite the setback, we’re calling on the industry to keep up the momentum. We are making great strides with cup collections from Biffa, Veolia, National Cup Recycling Scheme, Cup Collective and CupRound and we are really keen to hear from smaller and more localised waste merchants too. And while we push for news from DEFRA on further reforms, we urge the general public to take their used cups (from any outlet) to McDonald’s, Costa Coffee, Pret and Caffè Nero. They’ll end up with us in Cumbria where we’re committed to giving both the fibre and the PE-liner a second life.”
