Starbucks is to trial a pioneering new paper cup which is set to revolutionise the world of package recycling.
Frugalpac has produced a product it claims can solve the problem that only 1 in 400 paper cups is currently recycled and most end up in landfill.
The Frugalpac cup is made from recycled paper, is competitively-priced and recyclable in normal paper mills. And a test by the independent inspection, product testing and certification company Intertek found the carbon footprint of a Frugalpac cup is about half that of many of today’s normal paper cups.
A Starbucks spokesperson said: “We are very interested in finding out more about the Frugalpac cup and we will be testing it to see if it meets our standards for safety and quality with a view to trialling its recyclability.”
At present, there are only two places in the whole of the UK that can recycle conventional paper cups. That means only 1 in 400 paper cups actually gets recycled.
But Frugalpac cups are made by making the paper into a cup first without adding chemicals to the recycled paper, and then applying a thin plastic liner to the inside. The plastic liner is lightly bonded onto the paper cup. The top of the liner is then rolled over the lip of the cup which looks, feels and performs just like the conventional cup. Because the liner is so lightly glued in place, when the cup goes to the standard paper mills it separates from the paper in the recycling process.
“We’ve spent the last two years developing our cup and we hope now that coffee chains and cup producers will see Frugalpac as an answer to this issue,” said Martin Myerscough, Frugalpac Chief Executive.
“The unique way we make our cups allows us to use recycled paper and not virgin cardboard from mature trees. It also means we don’t have to add waterproofing agents to the paper. Our cups are acceptable to all normal paper mills.”
“We really hope that Frugalpac becomes the standard in the industry so people can get on with enjoying their coffee without worrying about what damage the cup does to the environment afterwards!”
