The compostable paper cups seemed to be the next best solution for reducing paper cups going to landfill. However, the reality was not so.
Compostable paper cups are lined with PLA (Polylactic Acid). PLA is a polymer which is produced from plant material meaning the cup has no oil based plastic. For reducing plastic in single used disposables, this was a big tick for compostable cups.
However, what happens when the consumer finishes their takeaway coffee? Well, these compostable cups are only able to compost down if sent to a commercial composting facilities where it will take 12 weeks for them to compost.
In the UK we don’t have a network of commercial composting bins on the high streets and consumers are confused about what to do with the cups. Compostable cups can’t go in the recycling bin and therefore end up in landfills.
Many believe that’s OK. As it’s compostable, it just disappears into the ground right? Well no, it won’t. The conditions in a landfill are not right for the cup to breakdown and therefore only contribute to the volume of waste going to landfills in the UK.
If coffee outlets have closed environments that can control waste collections the compostable cups can work at additional waste collection costs.
When Magenta UK spoke to the government, we asked where its investment will be put in managing waste in the future. The answer was in recycling and not composting.