The Cup Collective (managed by co-cre8), an innovative European partnership program aimed at industrial-scale paper cup recycling, is now live in Dublin. Having launched in Brussels in 2022, and active in a number of cities throughout the EU, the initiative is now in action at a number of Dublin’s most popular coffee spots.
With the goal of making paper cup recycling the norm for everyone, The Cup Collective makes it easy for both consumers and businesses to transform paper cups into new, valuable paper and cardboard products including luxury packaging, greetings cards and high-end stationery.
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The programme is spearheaded by the Irish Paper Packaging Circularity Alliance (IPPCA) and supported by marquee Irish and International brands such as McDonald’s, Applegreen, Bewleys Tea & Coffee, Butlers Chocolate Cafés and Insomnia Coffee Company. Consumers in Dublin have already given a big thumbs up to the initiative with cup recycling rates of up to almost 20 per cent in the first month alone.
At the launch of The Cup Collective (L-R): Rob Tilsley Fibre Operations Leader James Cropper PLC, Dara O’Flynn Chief Operating Officer Insomnia Coffee Company, Julie Murray Head of Coffee Culture Bewleys Coffee Ltd, Vasilii Stepa Area Manager Butlers Chocolate Café’s, Maria Cassidy Head of Coffee and Innovation at Applegreen, Derek McNicholas Corporate Accounts Manager Panda Ireland and Helen McFarlane Sustainability Manager, McDonald’s.
Segmentation at Source
The scheme focuses on collecting used paper cups in specially designed collection bins supplied by co-cre8, that can be custom branded. With clear instructions, consumers can easily separate out cups, lids and liquid that promises a clear pathway to recycling. By stacking cups in the bins, waste disposal costs can be cut by more than 50 per cent, compared to if the cups were bagged loose.
A New Benchmark
Also employed is a unique scanning app and data platform, which allows for transparent and accurate data tracking of the paper cups from on-site collection to final recycling. This not only enables business to report on their achievements and but also helps them improve recycling performance.
The used cups are then collected by Cup Collective partners, Panda Ireland, and transported to James Cropper Specialty Paper’s manufacturing mill and recycling facility; one of a growing number of facilities actively seeking to recycle paper cups.
Julie Murray is head of Coffee Culture with Bewleys Tea & Coffee, and says it has the opportunity to create a lasting impact:
“Where the cup goes in and all of it is recycled, 95 per cent of the cup is paper, 5 per cent is plastic, and now the plastic and the paper are recycled, so it’s fully circular.”
The Cup Collective is actively seeking more Irish businesses to grow more paper cup recycling points across Dublin. If you are interested in joining then please contact The Cup Collective here.
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Keshari joined the co-cre8 team in 2022 and is responsible for the daily management of the business finances including financial reporting, purchase ledger, sales ledger and building relationships with customers and suppliers.
Wayne joined the co-cre8 team in 2022 and brings more than two decade’s worth of operational and commercial experience in the food service packaging and waste management sectors. With co-cre8’s portfolio of three business divisions, Wayne spreads his unrivalled skillset across multiple activities including for our Honest brand, internal Waste and Recycling Stations and System Design partnership projects. Wayne plays a key role in ensuring co-cre8’s operations are commercially viable, building and maintaining great relationships with suppliers, ensuring the smooth success of projects and keeping a smile on everyone’s face!
We welcomed Hannah to the team in January 2022 to grow and develop our Built Environment business division. Hannah brings a wealth of skills to the team including her fantastic communication and eye for detail.
Katie joined the team in December 2021, and plays a key role in supporting the Sales and Marketing Manager with all sales and marketing activity across the co-cre8 and Honest brands. Katie’s main responsibilities include pro-actively developing and reactively managing business-to-business sales opportunities, processing orders, general customer service and supporting with the creation and delivery of marketing campaigns.
Prior to co-founding co-cre8 in 2019, Peter spent 10 years as a UK Director of Closed Loop Environmental Solutions. With a passion for recycling and, as one of the UK’s leading exponents of promoting more circular solutions, Peter created and delivered many pioneering industry projects, most notably the Simply Cups scheme.
James has over 20 years’ experience in the waste and recycling industry. Starting with just one second hand truck, he founded and developed Simply Waste Solutions into a thriving, profitable business with a £35m turnover. In 2020, James decided that he was ready for new challenges and took Simply Waste to a successful exit, selling to Biffa plc for £40m.
Natalie joins the co-cre8 team with extensive knowledge and experience in waste, recycling, and circular business models, with her speciality in Finance. For the last 17 years, Natalie has worked, and was a shareholder, in a start-up, high growth to exit waste and recycling business, with 15 years spent at board level.
Georgia joined the team at co-cre8 in 2020 and is responsible for developing the business through creative thinking and effective communication via sales and marketing channels.
Rachel originally joined the co-cre8 team in 2019 as Customer Service Specialist for Simply Cups. Her role has since evolved, following the launch of the Built Environment range, where she now heads up all logistics including supplier liaising, order processing and general operations of the business.