The partnership will see 65 new recycling points across all 30 Roadchef sites to boost cup recycling infrastructure on the motorway network.
Used coffee cups collected through the partnership will be given a second life as stationery and packaging with James Cropper’s CupCycling Technology.
Creating a second life for valuable resources and materials that are considered challenging to recycle is hugely rewarding for us.
Costa Coffee and McDonald’s UK are joining with motorway service area operator, Roadchef, to co-fund a cup recycling programme at all 30 Roadchef sites across the UK. It is the latest project run by members of the National Cup Recycling Scheme, which aims to accelerate takeaway cup recycling across the UK.
Roadchef says its service areas see over 50 million visitors every year, presenting an opportunity to help solve the challenge of collecting and recycling paper takeaway cups on the go, whilst also tackling roadside litter.
The businesses say they are coming together to demonstrate the power partnerships have in achieving circular solutions for packaging waste. By introducing 65 new recycling units, designed by Unisan UK, the three organisations say this shows how easy it is to recycle takeaway cups and help consumers play their part too.
Road users can now keep hold of their takeaway cups in their cars after enjoying their drinks, safe in the knowledge that they can easily recycle them at the next stop on their route.
We’re delighted to be part of Roadchef’s commitment to drive circular solutions that reduce waste
The businesses say consumers can use the new units to separate their cups, lids, and any leftover drinks before sending them off for recycling. Cups will then be backhauled via Costa Coffee’s stores and will be processed at specialist facilities, including James Cropper’s CupCycling facility, where they will be turned into luxury paper and packaging using FibreBlend Upcycled Technology.
Costa Coffee says the partnership supports its wider commitment to Net Zero, which it announced earlier this year alongside setting a science-based target to halve its emissions per serving of coffee by 2030.
McDonald’s says the project forms part of its Plan for Change which launched last year. As part of this, McDonald’s UK has committed to becoming Net Zero across its restaurants and offices by 2030 and across its entire value chain by 2040.
Head of Technology and Innovation at James Cropper, Richard Burnett, said: “As a business that has sustainability at its core, creating a second life for valuable resources and materials that are considered challenging to recycle is hugely rewarding for us.
“We’re delighted to be part of Roadchef’s commitment to drive circular solutions that reduce waste, which is very much aligned with our own commitment to the war on waste through world class fibre blend innovation.
“Using our CupCycling expertise we are able to transform the paper cups that are used in their service stations into beautiful new papers for stationery and packaging.”