Tackling Waste: The Hidden Costs of Single-Use Cups

Every year, billions of single-use cups are used and discarded. Disposable coffee cups are made from paper and lined with plastic, which makes them waterproof. This plastic lining cannot be removed by most recycling facilities. Once used, the paper part of the cup is usually contaminated by the cup’s contents. There is no UK or European market for contaminated paper food packaging. Plastic cups can take up to 30 years to decompose, causing long-term harm to the environment.

Single use waste numbers are striking! 

• in the UK 2.5 billion coffee cups are used and thrown away each year 
• In Germany the consumption of 2.8 billion hot drinks from disposable cups generates around 28,000 tons of waste per year
• In Türkiye only 12% of waste is recycled, while the remaining 88% is either landfilled, incinerated, or ends up polluting our oceans. 

The Impact on Our Oceans:

Single-use plastic products are more likely to end up in our seas than reusable options. According to the EU Directive on Single Use Plastics, the 10 most commonly found single-use plastic items on European beaches, alongside fishing gear, represent 70% of all marine litter in the EU. These, which are addressed by the EU’s Directive on Single Use plastics is cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers, balloons and sticks for balloons, food containers, cups for beverages, beverage containers, cigarette butts, plastic bags, packets and wrappers and wet wipes and sanitary items. 

According to WWF Turkey’s Mediterranean Plastic Report, Turkey is the largest contributor of plastic waste into the Mediterranean Sea, with approximately 144 tons (or six truckloads) of plastic being dumped daily. This not only affects marine life but also disrupts entire ecosystems.

How Net Zero Cup Addresses These Issues: 

Net Zero Cup is designed to be a long-term solution to the waste crisis. Made from renewable, plant-based materials, and reusability over many years, it offers a sustainable alternative to traditional single-use cups. 

By choosing a plant based and reusable Net Zero Cup, consumers can significantly reduce the waste they generate and help protect the environment.

Waste is one of the most pressing environmental issues we face today. Switching to products like Net Zero Cup can have a profound impact on reducing the amount of waste we generate and preserving the natural world for future generations.