Cup recycling scheme CupCycling is set to launch in Dunedin, with 15 cafés taking part in the pilot trial. CupCycling is part of locally-owned IdealCup and will work in the same way as Boomerang Bags. Customers will pay a ‘bond’ to become a member of the programme and will gain use of a reusable CupCycling cup from participating cafés. Customers can then return the dirty cup to any participating outlet and can order a takeaway drink in a clean cup.
“We are so thrilled to get CupCycling operating in Dunedin," said IdealCup co-owner Stephanie Fry. “We’ve had fantastic support from several key people to help get this up and running, particularly Leigh McKenzie from Dunedin City Council, Allison Wallace from Keep New Zealand Beautiful, Laura Cope from Use Your Own Cup Café Guide, and Dunedin City Councillor and The Breeze host Damian Newell. We have worked in the sustainability space for nearly 15 years and we are so proud to be able to provide leadership and vision for a cleaner, greener Aotearoa by giving Kiwis the option to reuse, and reduce waste in our landfills via our CupCycling system.”
Cup recycling schemes have taken off around the country in the last two years. CupCycling in Motueka has saved more than 16,000 cups heading to landfill in the last year, while Kanteen, the café at New Zealand Post headquarters in Wellington, has diverted more than 12,000 in just five months.
Participating cafés in Dunedin are the Otago Museum Café, Marbecks, Copper Café, Morning Magpie, Project Wellness, Kind Grocer, Modaks, Taste Nature, The Esplanade, No7 Balmac, Blueskin Nurseries, Grid Coffee, Watson’s Eatery, Artisan French Pastries and Beam Me Up Bagels.
