UK – Biffa has unveiled a nationwide recycling service designed to divert ‘millions’ of hot and cold takeaway beverage cups from general waste in the UK.
An estimated 62 million single-use tea, coffee, and cold drink cups are discarded weekly in the UK, with many believed to contain recyclable cardboard if appropriately channeled into the correct waste stream.
Effective October 2025, businesses with a minimum of ten full-time staff members, selling takeaway drinks in fiber-based, single-use cups, will be legally mandated to recycle them.
Biffa’s initiative aims to provide cafes, restaurants, service stations, supermarkets, and other mainland businesses with an integrated disposal, collection, and recycling solution for used cups.
The comprehensive service includes cup disposal points, bags, bins, compliance advice, and practical and technical assistance.
Building on its existing disposable vape recycling service, Biffa envisions that the takeaway cup recycling scheme will aid businesses in embracing circular practices and meeting upcoming legislative requirements.
Recycling cups at the end of their life cycle is anticipated to curtail carbon emissions and preserve natural resources by repurposing virgin materials.
Daniel Barrett, part of Biffa’s Reactive Services, expressed concern about recyclable takeaway cups ending up in general waste, hindering the transformation of perfectly good cardboard into new products.
He emphasized Biffa’s commitment to actively reduce waste by assisting people and businesses in reusing, recycling, and redistributing materials, thereby minimizing environmental impact.
Paul Sanderson, Chief Executive of The Recycling Association, welcomed initiatives like Biffa’s cup recycling scheme, emphasizing the high-quality cardboard in many takeaway cups that can be recycled into new products.
He highlighted the importance of collection schemes in diverting these cups from general waste, enabling specialized mills to recycle them effectively.
In a related development, South Oxfordshire District Council have announced an agreement to extend their joint contract with Biffa for two more years. The contract will now run until June 2026.
The contract has helped keep the district near the top of the English recycling tables for over a decade.
The Council’s recent waste satisfaction survey has yielded encouraging results for our household waste collections, indicating a high level of resident approval with this side of the service. 82% of respondents expressed satisfaction, or high satisfaction, with the overall quality of the service provided.
The council’s contract with Biffa has run for 14 years in South Oxfordshire – during this time recycling rates have risen to 64%. In the ranking of top ten recycling authorities in England, this puts South Oxfordshire in second place.
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