Paper Cup Recycling Scheme Adds Members and Products at London Event : Simply Cups Launches New Products Made from Recycled Paper & Plastic Composite

At its recently held third Annual Meeting Simply Cups, the UK’s ONLY active disposable cup recycling scheme, has launched a number of initiatives including an extended collection service and a range of functional products created from the post-consumer materials that the scheme is collecting.

The organisation said that the key to the development of its range of new promotional, office and point of sale products is the creation of a new durable polymer produced using both the paper and plastic content of paper cups.

Trials were said to have shown that the composite is much stronger than conventional plastics and can be readily moulded into products at high speeds.

Teamwork

To develop the new product range Simply Cups said that it formed a partnership wit specialist recycler and developer of the polymer, Nextek, and product designer and manufacturer AShortWalk.

The result of the partnership is a range of consumer products made from the material and sold on the Simply Cups website.

Items will include coasters, key rings, signage and wall clocks together with a host of other products made from recycled paper and plastics, such as stationery, office supplies and even clothing.

“Since launching the scheme we have continually sought new applications for used cups and our partnership with Nextek and AShortWalk enables us to produce functional Simply Cups branded products from the materials we collect,” commented Simply Cups director, Peter Goodwin.

“Furthermore, this will enhance the credibility and value of the scheme to our Members who will now see a tangible return from their assistance in placing their used cups in the appropriate cup recycling bin,” he continued. “Most importantly, however, we aim to capitalise on the demand for locally manufactured products using locally, derived post-consumer material”.

“This will be a game changer for us as it will create the required pull for recycled products from the marketplace that will fund the further the expansion of the scheme,” concluded Goodwin.

Dicker on Demand

According to Dan Dicker, MD of AShortWalk which specialises in the design and manufacture of products made from recycled materials the new material opens many possibilities.

“It’s easy to forget that nothing is truly recycled until it’s been physically reused,” he commented. “A solution like this that opens up wider product possibilities will create a far bigger demand for the recycled cups and close an economic as well as a recycling loop.”

Night at the Museum

The event, held at the Museum of London, was attended by over one hundred representatives from the UK’s leading hospitality and food service companies, including manufacturers, suppliers and well-known brands.

Simply Cups also announced a new extended cup recycling service, which it said means that, along with paper cups, the scheme will now be collecting and recycling Polypropylene (PP), High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) and PET Cups.

To reflect this change, a number of new cup manufacturers have now also joined the scheme and include Coveris, Nupik Flo and RPC Tedeco-Gizeh.

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