Disposable coffee cups
Disposable coffee cups and lids go in the landfill bin.
Disposal options
- Disposable coffee cups and lids go in the landfill bin.
- Compostable cups with code AS 5810 can be home composted. Compostable cups with code AS4736 cannot be home composted. Compostable cups must not be placed in your household recycling, garden waste or FOGO bin.
- Selected 7-Eleven convenience stores take disposable cups for recycling as part of their ‘Cup Rescue’ initiative.
- Some event organisers arrange for dedicated disposable coffee cup recycling with their waste management contactors such as Closed Loop
- For more ideas on reducing the use of disposable coffee cups visit Responsible Cafes and Simply Cups.
Why?
- In Australia, there are no large-scale facilities accepting significant volumes of disposable coffee cups.
- In the past the ACT accepted paper-based coffee cups in the recycling bin however now most disposable coffee cups are made from materials that are not accepted in recycling bins.
- Disposable coffee cups are difficult to recycle because they are made of different types of composite materials, so are not accepted for recycling in the ACT.
- Some contain a plastic liner to waterproof the packaging as well as a paper outer layer to help insulate the cup, and these materials cannot be separated out. Others are made from compostable materials which are not recyclable.
- Lids can be made of a range of different plastics, many of which cannot be recycled at this time.
- The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation is working on clearer labelling standards to help users dispose packaging appropriately.
Related items
This may include Keep cups; bio-cups; coffee cup lids; paper cups; takeaway coffee; coffee cup.