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May 10, 2023

More than half of Australians are recycling coffee cups incorrectly. Here's the right way

Have you ever stood at the bin and second-guessed if you're putting the right

Have you ever stood at the bin and second-guessed if you're putting the right thing in the right place? You're not alone, particularly when it comes to takeaway coffee cups.

Cleanaway's 2023 recycling behaviours report reveals that, while most of us know it's important to pop our waste in the right bin, 62 per cent of us are disposing of our coffee cups incorrectly.

Here's what to do with your takeaway cups — and why it can feel so confusing.

According to Sustainability Victoria, most disposable paper coffee cups can't be recycled because they have a plastic liner, and it's that plastic liner that makes it difficult for local councils to treat.

They also can't be placed in a food organic and garden organic (FOGO) bins.

But the plastic lid of a coffee cup is generally recyclable everywhere, according to Melbourne-based senior researcher at Monash University's Sustainability Development Institute Jennifer Macklin.

"It's made of a plastic that's recyclable, most places can take it," says Ms Macklin.

So the general rule is to pop the lid in the recycling bin, but throw the cup itself into the waste bin for landfill.

Ms Macklin has spent more than 10 years researching our recycling patterns.

She says recycling can actually be pretty tricky to get right, and the rules can change based on where you live. (It's no wonder the recycling behaviours report found that more than one-third — 38 per cent — of people find recycling confusing.)

For example, while the plastic lining in disposable coffee cups generally stops them from being recycled, Ms Macklin says that's not always the case.

"Some councils, because they see that there's a particular waste stream [in demand], they've gone to the effort of arranging a solution so that it can be placed in the recycling," Ms Macklin says.

"So it's a really good example of why it can actually be complicated."

It's best to check directly with your council to see if you can recycle yours at home — or if they can be recycled through specialised recycling programs in your area.

Some business and schools have implemented the single-use cup recycling program Simply Cups.

The scheme, which has more than 1,500 collection locations across the country, re-purposes the products into asphalt, building materials and concrete slabs.

Always forget which bit to recycle?

You might want to check the label. Some disposable cups are marked with reminders of which bit to recycle (generally, the lid) and which to bin (generally, the cup).

But keep in mind: some labels can be misleading.

For example, cups labelled "biodegradable" don't actually decompose in normal, home compost, says Ms Macklin.

So it's usually best to take the same approach with these biodegradable cups as with regular disposable paper cups: separate from the lids, and pop the cup in the waste bin for landfill.

Three ABC reporters try to reduce the amount of plastic waste in their weekly grocery shop.

And we're really getting confused when it comes to logos, with the Cleanaway report finding about 81 per cent of us mistake the plastics identification code (which looks like a triangle made of arrows, with a number in the middle) for a recyclable symbol.

Ms Macklin says improving our recycling literacy doesn't actually start with us.

"I think it starts with the products themselves," she says.

She says better recycling labels is the way forward. Clearer labels are being rolled out, she adds, but the process takes time.

"I actually think we need to change the system first, to make recycling consistent, and to get the instructions on the item," she says.

"Then we can say to people to look at the label — and I think that's what's going to be most effective."

While the rules on recycling disposable cups confusing many of us, it's worth considering alternatives.

A reusable cup — especially one made from recycled materials — may be a more sustainable option. You could even save a bit of money.

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