More than 700,000 takeaway coffee cups were returned here last year. How can we bring this sustainable initiative to more European cities?
Slide the white cup with the blue lid into the hole and follow the instructions printed on the cash machine. After a few minutes, you will be able to recover the password You have about five Danish kroner (7 euro cents) on your credit card.
In January 2023, Aarhus, Denmark, launched a three-year pilot project reducing the number of disposable coffee cups. Instead of throwing them away, residents will be able to use cash machines designed by the municipality. Norwegian waste management company TOMRA.
The startup could reach more cities in Europe
“Through a residue analysis, we discovered that: 45% of waste in Aarhus came from takeaway packaging“This finding was a turning point,” explains Simon Smedegaard Rossau, manager of the circular packaging project at Aarhus City Council. A year later, Aarhus can share its first results in the hope that more cities will follow its example.
A system of reusable cups on the street
Many European countries, such as Romania, Denmark and Belgium, have introduced deposit systems that allow citizens to return plastic or glass bottles and containers to designated machines in supermarket chains and be rewarded with a small refund in return. But, The Aarhus system is open airwith machines located on the main shopping streets.
The aim is to recycle very popular items such as hot or cold drink cups, which are used for an average of only 15 minutes before being thrown away. “Around the world Less than 2% of coffee cups are recycled from single-use plastic,” says Rossau.
The reuse revolution continues
The pilot project required not only building the machines, deciding where to place them, and creating recyclable cups. Change consumer behavior Making the “reuse revolution” a reality was a necessary step.
“The convenience of plastic has been optimized for decades, and this is a force that greatly influences consumer behavior. If the consumer has to choose between single-use plastics and reusable plastics, the adoption rate will be low,” says Geir Saether. , president of TOMRA Reuse.
How did Aarhus gain public support?
The initiative was initially considered to persuade citizens With the support of 45 cafesAgreeing to sell beverages only in disposable plastic cups, without giving consumers the option to purchase them.
The return rate in the first weeks was only around 25%, making Rossau skeptical that the system would work. To make reusable cups a better alternative to disposable cups, must be recycled at least six timesUntil you reach an 82% return rate.
A turning point occurred in September Festival Aarhus WeekIt took a week for businesses at the event to offer only reusable cups. The initiative was made known to many more citizens and approximately 100,000 cups were returned. It would fill 1,200 garbage containers.
Festivals can facilitate behavioral changes
According to Rossau, this action was beneficial in terms of behavioral change as it allowed a larger part of the population to become accustomed to the new recyclable product. “We’re now seeing changes in behaviour. We’re seeing people going with bags full of cups, which means they’re recycling in bulk, like they do with cans and bottles,” says Rossau. “Now we see return rate 88%This means that one glass is reused 44 times.”
How many plastic cups were returned in Aarhus?
The pilot program set out to collect 500,000 cups in its first year; This target was far exceeded, with glasses returned 735,000 times, saving money. 14 tonnes of plastic from incineration and CO2 emissions.
It is aimed to collect 1.5 million glasses by 2025, and another 1.5 million glasses are planned to be collected in the third year. Aarhus City Council plans to expand this initiative to other nearby smaller cities and other types of food packaging.
“We were included in the Danish national fiscal plan because policymakers recognized the scalability of the project,” says Rossau. The budget funds a national partnership that brings together municipalities, businesses, restaurants and other stakeholders.
If the project is expanded nationwide, it could significantly reduce the current use of single-use takeaway packaging. 500 million disposable products per year in Denmark.
ADVERTAarhus is a medium-sized city, and extending the model to larger cities with more complex supply chains poses different challenges and opportunities.
How does Europe act against plastic waste?
“Aarhus is just the tip of the iceberg. We have seen great momentum in tackling the packaging waste crisis in cities such as Barcelona, Berlin, Leuven, Ghent, Rotterdam and Paris strengthen reuse systems“, says Nathan Dufour, head of reuse systems at Zero Waste Europe.
These actions, The EU’s wider waste reduction targetsUnder the recently approved Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). PPWR imposes an obligation on Member States to reduce packaging waste per capita by 5% by 2030 and further by 2035 and 2040.
“Thanks to PPWR, we finally have EU-wide targets on reusable packaging “For takeout, beverage, quick-service industries, mail delivery and many other segments,” says Dufour. But that’s still not enough, he adds. “Cities are leading the way where a number of regulations have failed; We need to support national goals”.
ADVERTTransitioning to reuse requires policy interventions
look needs greater legal support mitigating the significant costs of introducing and maintaining reusable packaging systems across the city, as well as the logistical hurdles of cleaning and redistributing cups.
“Transition to reuse, taxes, reuse targets and disposable packaging ban“, Sæther confirms de TOMRA.
las Single-use plastic bans proven effectiveHowever, plastic production is expected to triple by 2060. “To level the playing field with single-use plastic, we must account for external costs such as pollution through measures such as taxes on the use of single-use packaging,” he adds.
Policies that support reuse success
The role of policy makers will be crucial To determine the pace and success of this transition to ensure that reused packaging systems are efficient and convenient for retailers and consumers.
ADVERT“Cyclical changes don’t happen by chance; they need the support of interventions that shape the behavior of both companies and consumers. It’s that simple.” Encourage the choice of sustainable options you punish wasteful practices“, concluded Sæther.
