Group Gives Second Chance to Billions of Used Paper Coffee Cups

James Cropper, pioneers of the process to recycle previously unrecoverable fibres in the billions of paper coffee cups discarded each year, commits to the Paper Cup Recovery and Recycling Group (PCRRG).

After developing and opening the world’s first facility for the effective recycling of the estimated 2.5 billion paper coffee cups used and disposed of by British businesses each year, James Cropper PLC has become one of 14 international companies to formally join the Paper Recovery and Recycling Group (PCRRG).

The British paper innovators, specialising in offering bespoke paper and packaging solutions to the premium and luxury goods markets, will bring technological and scientific expertise to the group alongside vital perspectives on the global paper and pulp supply chain. Among the objectives of the newly constituted group will be to conduct in market trials of recycling processes and end products, with emphasis on the UK market.

The PCRRG was originally formed in 2012 as a special interest group with input from James Cropper PLC arriving in early 2014. It was created in recognition that paper cups can provide high quality material to the market place beyond their first use and that there is an evident, growing desire to develop more sustainable approaches in the design, manufacture and reuse of paper coffee cups across all of the represented industries.

In becoming formally constituted, the PCRRG will continue its work with the benefit of a committed founder membership that has agreed to a range of benefits, responsibilities and objectives, helping it to effectively capture discussions across the broad existent and potential supply chain.

Patrick Willink, Chief Technology Officer of James Cropper PLC, said: “James Cropper PLC will continue to make a full contribution to the work of the PCRRG to ensure that the reuse of paper coffee cup fibres is more widely accepted as an industry standard. It is clear to us all that a paper cup can no longer be a single use product and, with our solutions for the difficult process of separating plastic and pulp fibres to allow for recycling paper cups into new paper and board products, we feel we can provide valuable insights to bring the discussions taking place within the group to effective conclusions.”

Opened by HM The Queen in July 2013, following an investment of £5million, James Cropper’s Reclaimed Fibre Facility based in the UK’s Lake District National Park became the first, and currently only centre for the separation of the 5% polyethylene content common in paper coffee cups from the remaining 95% paper pulp. Both the recovered plastics and papers are then taken onto a final stage of recycling, ensuring nothing is wasted.

Phil Wild, CEO of James Cropper plc said: “Our investment in the discussions taking place between fellow members of the PCRRG since 2012 is reflected in our investments in the vital technologies that enable us to lead the world into achievable paper cup recycling processes. James Cropper PLC make sustainability a guiding principle for everything that we do and we recognise that acting responsibly is of benefit to not only us, but also to our customers, partners and shareholders. The formalisation of the PCRRG is a welcome development to ensure our collective enthusiasm is captured.”

The founder membership of the PCRRG has been confirmed to include, alongside James Cropper PLC, Benders Paper Cups, Caffè Nero, First Mile, Grundon, Huhtamaki, Mars Drinks, Mondelez UK, Nestlé Professional, Seda Group, Selecta UK, Solo Cup Europe and StoraEnso. Initial areas of focus for the PCRRG will be to:

• Bring together different aspects of the supply chain to better understand all of the different components and stakeholder views
• Develop consistent messaging and to educate the involved parties on material value and recyclability
• Identify industry wide, self-funding, and easy to access solutions
• Conduct in-market trials where appropriate
• Actively manage risks associated with the environmental impacts and legislation of paper cups