- Test is being run in two Burger King outlets in Finland, among others
- Customers can return cups to designated areas to be washed and reused
- Cups can be fully recycled at the end of their lifespan
Sustainability is a big issue for the fast food industry and finding fully recyclable cups has been a quest for many, but now Burger King restaurants in Finland are part of a pilot that may have an answer.
Finnish restaurant and catering company Restel has started a pilot using cups that can be used up to 200 times in their lifespan before being fully recycled. The trial is in selected restaurants, including two Burger King outlets.
Recyclable
Many cups used by fast food companies are single use only and cannot be easily recycled as they have a waxy coating that is difficult to process.
The cups are made by Sulapac, using Sulapac Solid material, which is 100% biobased and doesn’t used hazardous chemicals in its production. Importantly, it doesn’t leave behind any permanent microplastics.
The pilot project involving the cups will last two months. Customers will receive a cup after they order and then return it to an appointed collection tray. The cup is then washed and can be used again. at the end of their life, the cups are sent to Sulapac for recycling.
Circular economy
“Our Solid material can be efficiently recycled, while it’s also suitable for industrial composting,” said Heidi Peltola, head of product at Sulapac. “All our materials can be digested by naturally occurring microbes. Hence, Sulapac materials do not accumulate in the food chain, unlike conventional plastics. [So] we turn Restel’s discarded cups into new drinking cups, following the principles of the circular economy.”
Anna Koskinen, sustainability and communications manager at Restel, added: “By collaborating with Sulapac we can mitigate the negative climate and environmental impacts related to single-use and oil-based plastic while advancing the circular bioeconomy.”
