Britain’s first plastic-free lidless disposable cup that breaks down fully in soil
2nd December 2020 | Recycling
A plastic-free, disposable takeaway cup that breaks down completely in soil and has a unique folding top to prevent spills – instead of a lid – launched in the UK today. Regular paper cups typically come with a plastic lid which must be disposed of separately – and harbour a plastic lining which impairs its recycling. When plastic is thrown away they can take decades to break down – and release tiny particles called microplastics that further pollute the environment.
In contrast, all parts of the ButterflyCup are entirely composed of paper, with plant-derived inks and a water-based dispersion coating that keeps it from leaking. As such, it can be composted, or recycled with other paper and cardboard waste. The novel cup will premiere in the UK at Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) centres across the UK – but it is already being used in 20 countries. Designer Tommy McLoughlin – who says he hopes the cup will “lift the lid on the eco disaster” – is in talks with several major coffee chains about making use of the cup.
Plastic free
It is estimate that some 2.5 billion coffee cups are disposed of in the UK each year – with only 1 in 400 actually ending up being recycled. Moreover, all the plastic lids from these cups, were they stacked on top of each other, would form a tower tall enough to stretch around the entire globe.
“It is a travesty that, of the billions of coffee cups the UK uses each year, so few get recycled,” said ButterflyCup CEO and Founder Tommy McLoughlin. “We created ButterflyCup to lift the lid on this eco disaster and help solve it. We believe it is the world’s most environmentally friendly disposable sup, and we hope more coffee outlets across the UK give their customers the option of using it in the near future,” he added.
More information available on the website below
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9005947/Environment-Britains-plastic-free-lidless-disposable-compostable-cup-launches-today.html