Lisbon sets standard as first capital to roll out urban reuse system

PORTUGAL – Lisbon has become the first European capital to implement a comprehensive reusable cup system across the city, supported by a locally managed deposit-return scheme.

The initiative, driven by collaboration between the City of Lisbon, TOMRA, and AHRESP (Associação da Hotelaria, Restauração e Similares de Portugal), aims to reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions, particularly across the city’s hospitality and nightlife scenes.

The system officially launched on June 27, with deposit-return stations installed at historic kiosks in Praça de São Paulo and Praça do Príncipe Real.

Customers pay a refundable €0.60 deposit for reusable cups, which can be easily returned via TOMRA-operated collection points using contactless cards or phones; no registration is required.

The city-wide deployment of the reusable cup system is scheduled to be fully implemented by October 2025.

At the core of the program is TOMRA’s “Rotake” system, a full-service reuse model that manages cup tracking, collection, cleaning, and redistribution.

“We’re proud to partner with Lisbon on this first-of-its-kind city system in a European capital,” said Geir Sæther, Head of TOMRA Reuse.

“The system deployed in Lisbon is designed specifically for urban areas, making reuse easy, clean and rewarding for everyone involved.”

With about 25,000 cups used nightly in entertainment areas, Lisbon’s model represents the first structured approach to managing reuse on a city scale, addressing a previous gap despite the widespread use of so-called “reusable” cups.

This initiative follows Lisbon’s regulatory ban on single-use plastic cups, demonstrating a proactive stance on environmental stewardship.

City Councillor Rui Cordeiro highlighted Lisbon’s role in encouraging more conscious consumption and inspiring other cities to adopt similar practices.

Support from AHRESP, Portugal’s largest hospitality association, is crucial to the success of the hotel, restaurant, and catering (HoReCa) sector.

The organisation is helping cafés, bars, and nightlife venues transition to reuse, offering both regulatory compliance and an opportunity to lead sustainable change alongside their consumers.

The system was unveiled at the “Lisboa a Reutilizar” summit held at the Museo de Design (MUDE), where stakeholders experienced the TOMRA return stations firsthand.

From October, Lisbon will roll out a standardised “Lisbon Cup” across bars in central neighbourhoods, supported by 17 return points across the downtown area.

Lisbon’s model builds on the success of TOMRA’s project in Aarhus, Denmark, which logged over one million cup returns and an 85% return rate within 18 months.

“This is not just about cups. It’s about changing how cities think about resources,” added Sæther.

“Lisbon is showing that with the right partners and smart policy, reuse can be mainstream, modern, and massively effective.”

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