Turning coffee cups into a circular opportunity

As coffee cup recycling comes under increasing scrutiny, businesses are missing opportunities to strengthen their sustainability performance. Greenzone makes it simple to handle this waste responsibly and turn compliance into progress. 

Disposable coffee cups have long posed a recycling challenge. Their plastic lining means they can’t be processed through standard paper recycling systems. But with Scotland’s Circular Economy Act and similar initiatives raising the bar on accountability, businesses must now take greater control of how these materials are managed avoiding contamination and ensuring compliance. 

Though small in size, coffee cups have a big impact. Many businesses underestimate how much they can negatively impact recycling stats. Greenzone’s mission is to change that helping customers stay compliant, boost recycling rates, and make tangible progress toward circular economy goals. 

With a network of over 250 trusted suppliers, we deliver tailored recycling solutions including dedicated coffee cup collections and systems for other hard-to-recycle materials. Our flexible contracts, smart waste-tracking technology, and real-time performance data give businesses full visibility over their environmental impact and measurable progress toward sustainability targets. 

Partnering with Greenzone means access to: 

• Expert compliance guidance on emerging regulations and environmental standards 

• Specialist recycling streams for coffee cups and other complex waste types 

• Data-driven insights and reporting tools to optimise performance and ESG reporting 

• Scalable, flexible solutions that grow with your business 

In 2024, Greenzone achieved a 97% recycling rate across 58,000 tonnes of waste — proof that with the right strategy and partnerships, even challenging materials like coffee cups can be recovered and reprocessed responsibly.