National Cup Recycling Scheme
Collaborating to recycle millions of cups and reduce single-use waste nationwide
National Cup Recycling Scheme: Tackling disposable cup waste together
Launched in April 2018 by Valpak in collaboration with Costa Coffee
The National Cup Recycling Scheme aims to solve the challenge of recycling disposable paper cups used for hot and cold drinks. Bringing together some of the UK’s biggest retailers, waste companies, and cup manufacturers, the Scheme is transforming how single-use cups are recycled nationwide.
Leading brands like Costa Coffee, McDonald’s, Caffè Nero, Pret A Manger, Greggs, Burger King, and Lavazza co-fund the initiative, committing to better recycling access for their customers.
The Scheme financially rewards waste contractors with an extra £70 per tonne on top of their usual fees, making paper cups a valuable recyclable material rather than a waste problem.
Thanks to projects like Cupround and the Highland Cup Box, recycling cups is now easier and more accessible for businesses and consumers alike, turning used cups into high quality recycled materials.
Since 2018, the Scheme has collected over 223 million paper cups. If stacked end to end, these would stretch for approximately 13,215 miles, that’s more than halfway around the Earth!
The National Cup Recycling Scheme has earned multiple awards for its innovative work, including:
Winner, Innovations Excellence Awards 2024
Finalist, National Recycling Awards (2019, 2024, 2025)
Finalist, Awards for Excellence in Recycling & Waste Management (2019, 2025)
Finalist, Food and Drink Federation Awards