Those coffee shop cups are not recyclable

Soldato
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Article about the 2.5 billion "paper" cups that go to waste each year on BBC website, because polyethylene added to the card cannot be separated out very easily. It is possible, but only at specialist recycling centres, hence shops can label them recyclable.

How has this practice by Starbucks, Costa etc. been kept so quiet for so long?

Yeah, I'm a middle aged eco hippy, but pretty shocked tbh!

Was I naive, or are others surprised by this?
 
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Soldato
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Radio 4 were talking to the inventor of those recently, seems sensible. The existing ones aren't recyclable as they bond the plastic insert to the cardboard, but even more silly is that most are made out of new material, not recycled cardboard.

I tend not to "take away" from coffee shops anyway, it's mostly overpriced garbage so when I do have something, I'm sitting in so my daughter doesn't spill it down herself quite as frequently!
 
Soldato
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I'm amazed that these aren't easily recyclable. Assumed because it was cardboard, they'd have a certain amount (albeit quite a low) of recycled materials going into the manufacturing of them plus they'd be easily recycled at end of life.

However, I also thought that the actual amount of them being recycled was very low!

Shocked they aren't, and more should be done to promote the use of easily recyclable containers.
 
Soldato
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I am sure that some body did a study a while back that concluded that the least environmentally damaging coffee cup was actually a ceramic (Pottery) one and the most was a paper one (Non-recyclable polystyrene was somewhere in the middle)

(See also, Glass milk bottles, Series Land Rovers, Steam trains, whatever (No, I am not joking))
 
Soldato
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Shocked they aren't, and more should be done to promote the use of easily recyclable containers.

More should be done to to promote re-usable cups.

Coffee is the most harmful of foods to the planet. You have got everything from deforestation to make new places to farm, to the colossal amount of waste that comes on the consumption of it. Then other issues such as the human cost with farm workers that get paid pence per hour to produce the crop.

Not many people know that things like fair trade does not mean that what they are drinking is sourced from a fair source. All the fair trade logo means if that they buy 500 tons of fair trade coffee beans, they can sell 500 tons worth of fair trade coffee even if the 500 tons of fair trade is mixed with 2000 tons of non fair trade in the production process.

They have just paid more for 500 tons worth of coffee and placed a higher priced product on the shelf and your 'fair trade' coffee may have no fair trade beans in it at all.

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/en/what-is-fairtrade/faqs
IS THE COCOA IN A FAIRTRADE CHOCOLATE BAR 100 PERCENT FAIRTRADE COCOA?
The chocolate industry is currently not always able to keep Fairtrade cocoa and non-Fairtrade cocoa separate at every stage of production from the cocoa field to the final bar. Cocoa beans are delivered in bulk by farmers and routinely mixed during shipping and in the manufacturing process.

Rather than not engaging with the chocolate industry and losing Fairtrade sales opportunities for thousands of small farmers, Fairtrade has set up a system to ensure that chocolate manufacturers that want to use the FAIRTRADE Mark must buy the precise amount of cocoa they need from Fairtrade farmers that will be used in their final product.



So, if a chocolate bar uses 500 tonnes of cocoa, then they must purchase 500 tonnes of cocoa on Fairtrade terms, including the payment of an additional $200 Fairtrade Premium per tonne. This means that even if the beans are later mixed with non-Fairtrade beans – as often happens – Fairtrade cocoa farmers still get 100% of the benefits, and the better deal that the FAIRTRADE Mark stands for.



Research shows that this is what consumers care most about: that every Fairtrade chocolate bar they buy helps deliver a better deal to Fairtrade farmers and workers in the cocoa industry.



Fairtrade’s purpose is to support farmers and workers in the developing world to increase their share in global trade. Fairtrade’s stringent inspection and audit system is in place to ensure the amount of Fairtrade chocolate manufactured exactly matches the amount of Fairtrade cocoa purchased.



We have worked hard on our rules for messaging on packaging to reflect the new system, in line with trading standards and EU Directives. We also work with chocolate manufacturers to increase their purchases on Fairtrade terms with this arrangement. That is making a huge difference to cocoa farmers in being able to tackle the problems and poverty they experience. But we need to go further.



The more we demand Fairtrade chocolate, the more Fairtrade cocoa beans the companies will be encouraged to purchase, ensuring more benefits to farmers and more sales of Fairtrade cocoa.
 
Soldato
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8,332
I am sure that some body did a study a while back that concluded that the least environmentally damaging coffee cup was actually a ceramic (Pottery) one and the most was a paper one (Non-recyclable polystyrene was somewhere in the middle)

(See also, Glass milk bottles, Series Land Rovers, Steam trains, whatever (No, I am not joking))

Its the whole life carbon impact, that includes manufacture and running emissions offset against length of service.

For example this same logic applies to nuclear power stations having the lowest lifespan carbon emissions of any power source, although tbf that probably doesnt factor radioactive waste into it.
 
Man of Honour
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As a side note, nespresso have started handing out recycle bags for their capsules - not sure how effective that is but remember the capsules causing a big hoo hah before.
 
Associate
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More should be done to to promote re-usable cups.

Coffee is the most harmful of foods to the planet. You have got everything from deforestation to make new places to farm, to the colossal amount of waste that comes on the consumption of it. Then other issues such as the human cost with farm workers that get paid pence per hour to produce the crop.

Not many people know that things like fair trade does not mean that what they are drinking is sourced from a fair source. All the fair trade logo means if that they buy 500 tons of fair trade coffee beans, they can sell 500 tons worth of fair trade coffee even if the 500 tons of fair trade is mixed with 2000 tons of non fair trade in the production process.

They have just paid more for 500 tons worth of coffee and placed a higher priced product on the shelf and your 'fair trade' coffee may have no fair trade beans in it at all.

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/en/what-is-fairtrade/faqs
IS THE COCOA IN A FAIRTRADE CHOCOLATE BAR 100 PERCENT FAIRTRADE COCOA?
The chocolate industry is currently not always able to keep Fairtrade cocoa and non-Fairtrade cocoa separate at every stage of production from the cocoa field to the final bar. Cocoa beans are delivered in bulk by farmers and routinely mixed during shipping and in the manufacturing process.

Rather than not engaging with the chocolate industry and losing Fairtrade sales opportunities for thousands of small farmers, Fairtrade has set up a system to ensure that chocolate manufacturers that want to use the FAIRTRADE Mark must buy the precise amount of cocoa they need from Fairtrade farmers that will be used in their final product.



So, if a chocolate bar uses 500 tonnes of cocoa, then they must purchase 500 tonnes of cocoa on Fairtrade terms, including the payment of an additional $200 Fairtrade Premium per tonne. This means that even if the beans are later mixed with non-Fairtrade beans – as often happens – Fairtrade cocoa farmers still get 100% of the benefits, and the better deal that the FAIRTRADE Mark stands for.



Research shows that this is what consumers care most about: that every Fairtrade chocolate bar they buy helps deliver a better deal to Fairtrade farmers and workers in the cocoa industry.



Fairtrade’s purpose is to support farmers and workers in the developing world to increase their share in global trade. Fairtrade’s stringent inspection and audit system is in place to ensure the amount of Fairtrade chocolate manufactured exactly matches the amount of Fairtrade cocoa purchased.



We have worked hard on our rules for messaging on packaging to reflect the new system, in line with trading standards and EU Directives. We also work with chocolate manufacturers to increase their purchases on Fairtrade terms with this arrangement. That is making a huge difference to cocoa farmers in being able to tackle the problems and poverty they experience. But we need to go further.



The more we demand Fairtrade chocolate, the more Fairtrade cocoa beans the companies will be encouraged to purchase, ensuring more benefits to farmers and more sales of Fairtrade cocoa.

Fgs. Company A has bought 5 tons of chocolates, most of which ends up in their fairtrade product, the remainder in non designated fairtrade. Does it matter when the net gain to the fairtrade farmer is the same?

Cant people just let people do good things without finding flaws in it?
 
Soldato
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18 Oct 2002
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Hear, their, everyware ;)
Article about the 2.5 billion "paper" cups that go to waste each year on BBC website, because polyethylene added to the card cannot be separated out very easily. It is possible, but only at specialist recycling centres, hence shops can label them recyclable.

How has this practice by Starbucks, Costa etc. been kept so quiet for so long?

Yeah, I'm a middle aged eco hippy, but pretty shocked tbh!

Was I naive, or are others surprised by this?


How have Starbucks/Costa kept a lid on this? I know people like to stir things up a lot but this leaves a very bitter taste. Good to see the makers of ceramic cups have got a handle on it though.
 
Soldato
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We've starting using new compostable cups at work but you need to use 2-3 to avoid burning yourself holding a hot drink, perhaps that's partially why coffee shops don't use them?
 
Soldato
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The amount of un-recyclable packaging around nowadays is astonishing. Why do we get so much stuff in that lethal plastic packaging that tries to slit your wrists for you when you cut it open? :(

Coffee shops should have a "buy a cup" scheme or something where you have a long life container you can return with. A bit like carrier bags.

Polystyrene containers from local food shops by work make me sad, too. :(

Yeah, I'm a middle aged eco hippy, but pretty shocked tbh!

Haha - this must be something that happens when you hit your 30's! You begin worrying about how the planet will be for the next generation and beyond. :p
 
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Associate
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1 May 2010
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643
We've starting using new compostable cups at work but you need to use 2-3 to avoid burning yourself holding a hot drink, perhaps that's partially why coffee shops don't use them?

This can be avoided by using recyclable cardboard sleeves - these are different to the cups and not coated in plastic and are normally made out of recycled pulp

Should do a bring your own cup scheme. Then I can enjoy every coffee in my trusty thunderbirds mug :p

A fair few Starbucks (and other independent shops) i've seen offer a discount on using your own cup!
 
Soldato
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We were pretty much forced by the council to start recycling and have to admit it has been great. So easy and so much can be recycled, the amount of household waste has massively decreased by around 1/2 to 3/4.

Carrier bags thing too has worked, message is government need to force these companies to use compliant packaging.
 
Soldato
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I'm amazed that these aren't easily recyclable. Assumed because it was cardboard, they'd have a certain amount (albeit quite a low) of recycled materials going into the manufacturing of them plus they'd be easily recycled at end of life.

Many disposable items which have the appearance of cardboard and paper are in fact lined with plastic for various reasons like resisting heat/liquid/damage, that makes it useless for recycling and it won't degrade either.

I'm sure the people behind them are aware that a paper/cardboard appearance draws less grief than fully plastic items even if in great irony a full plastic item is easier to recycle.
 
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