Goodbye Plastic, Hello Paper!

23 Apr 2024

Published in: Member News

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Tom Williams, Managing Director of Black Country vending and refreshment operator Coinadrink Limited, talks about the ongoing transition from plastic to paper cups in their hot beverage machines.

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Since the single-use plastic ban the demand for plastic vending cups has significantly diminished. Our suppliers have made the difficult decision to stop producing these cups after March 2024.

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The type of plastic used to make our vending cups was not part of the ban, but the wider impact has meant it is unviable for our supplier to produce.

We have started the process of changing from plastic cups, across to the paper equivalent. The feedback from customers so far has been positive, but this gives a good opportunity to talk about paper cups and future legislation.

Plastic vending cups are great; reliable, robust and fairly priced, but they always carried the stigma of being plastic and not widely recyclable. The word plastic has become a dirty word to consumers who demand a sustainable future.

We are now rolling out the changeover to paper cups and with it comes challenges, but also opportunities for a more circular economy.

Paper cups have long been championed as a more environmentally friendly alternative but there has been no clear recycling route for these cups, despite many claims by certain suppliers on the market. Quite simply, you cannot just throw them into the mixed recycling bin.

In 2025 there is new legislation to boost the recycling of paper cups and make it mandatory for them to be recycled. DEFRA and the government want all hot beverage outlets, whether it be us or your favourite coffee shop, to use the same composition of cup, a PE Lined Cup. The PE lining is what stops the drink leaking through, but it presents a problem; PE is plastic, and few facilities can separate the lining from the paper board.

The new legislation is to introduce collection bins and segregated waste streams to improve recycling, with cups ending up back at paper mills such as James Cropper who can successfully separate the PE lining from the cup and recycle both the paper board and the PE lining into new products.

The last poppy, this was made from recycled coffee cups!

We are now pressing ahead to a fully paper cup service. It will take 3-4 months to complete.

We want to be at the forefront of leading recycling of paper cups, to educate our customers on the legislation and how we can support. We have options that we are exploring in readiness, and we have spoken to some customers about options to understand their thoughts.

I personally sit on the Environmental Committee of our trade association, The AVA, and have been involved in talks with Government and DEFRA over the challenges and the positive change it will bring. I intend to share information and educational pieces over the coming months to keep you informed.

If anyone would like to discuss anything please do reach out.

-- Tom Williams, Managing Director