Coffee is a big global business and many - myself included -are practically addicted to it. Unfortunately the high consumption of takeaway coffee leads to more landfill as UK coffee shops are failing to make it easy for java addicts to recycle the estimated 2.5 billion takeaway cups thrown away each year.
It is consumer group Which? that has warned the UK coffee industry of these startling figures after its investigation found that consumers are confused by the use of 'mixed materials' and end up throwing the cups in the general waste bin. Of the 2,471 people surveyed more than half admitted that they throw their paper cups in the general waste bin instead of recycling them.
One solution to the brewing problem is to encourage people who drink their fair share of coffee to invest in reusable coffee cups and bring these with them on their daily coffee run. Starbucks is already trying to sway its customers to think more eco-friendly by offering 25p off for anyone bringing in their own cup.
If you're interested in doing your bit to reduce coffee cup waste, one brand of reusable mugs is KeepCup, the first barista standard reusable coffee cup. And you can personalise it to be any colour you like!
