The partnership will see First Mile collecting used disposable cups from Huhtamaki’s customers throughout London and Birmingham from a variety of different coffee chains, restaurants, bars and other business premises throughout the cities.
Keith Crosley, Huhtamaki UK’s general manager, said: “The cups we manufacture in the UK are sustainably sourced, responsibly produced and fully recyclable. We recognise that more paper cups need to be recycled and we are actively working on this to further improve recycling rates. Working with First Mile is a fantastic partnership to enable our customers to have their paper cups collected recycled and turned into new products.”
Huhtamaki’s compostable cups will be processed via First Mile’s new compostable packaging recycling service, which will see them, along with other materials, transformed into nutrient-rich fertiliser. This new service correctly recycles cups at the end of their life, realising the positive environmental intentions of Huhtamaki and those customers investing in their use.
First Mile founder and CEO, Bruce Bratley, added: “With a growing awareness of recycling and sustainability, the PCRRG reports that paper cup recycling rates have increased from an estimated 1 in every 400 to 1 in every 25 in just two years and we’re keen to increase this further through the work we do. This partnership is a great collaboration, pairing Huhtamaki’s objective of driving long-term sustainability, with First Mile’s innovative approach to making recycling easy for businesses.”