Embargoed for publication until 00.01am, Thursday 11th April 2019
GRANT FUND ANNOUNCED TO S C A L E PA P E R C U P R E C Y C L I N G ACROSS THE UK A newly developed programme delivered by Hubbub and funded by the Starbucks 5p cup charge will help communities resource collection of paper cup waste. Applications open today for grants ranging between £50,000 and £100,000.
Thursday 11 April 2019: Environmental charity, Hubbub, today announces the launch of The Cup Fund, to kickstart paper cup recycling programmes in locations across the U.K. The Cup Fund will support at least 10 large-scale recycling programmes, offering grants of between £50,000 and £100,000 based on the specific needs of each application to develop long term infrastructure and ensure cups are collected and sent for recycling. The ability to recycle paper cups has moved on considerably over the last two years and there is now enough capacity in the U.K. to recycle all of the paper cups we use. However, the cups can’t be recycled with normal paper and cardboard due to the plastic lining that stops hot drinks from leaking, so they need to be collected separately. More recycling points are needed to collect the cups as well as clear communication to help the public recycle effectively, as remains of drinks and tea bags can spoil whole batches of recycling. Today’s launch of The Cup Fund invites applications from a range of organisations wanting to increase infrastructure but lacking funding, including local authorities, recycling companies, property owners and social enterprises to come forward. Trewin Restorick, CEO and Founder of Hubbub, said: “We know that local authorities and building managers are committed to achieving their recycling targets but with increased strain on their budgets, investing in infrastructure is difficult. The launch of The Cup Fund with Starbucks means we will be able to collect cups in significant volumes in areas where there may not have been any drop off points before. We’re looking for ambitious, large-scale projects that will transform cup recycling in high footfall areas. The Cup Fund is financed by Starbucks, who introduced a 5p charge on paper cups in 2018, to encourage customers to increase their use of reusable cups and avoid the charge. Starbucks ensures all proceeds are donated to Hubbub to carry out environmental projects that increase recycling as well as behaviour change studies to understand more about consumer behaviour including barriers to more people using a reusable cup.