Pulp Paper & Logistics


INDUSTRY NEWS 7


Paper Cup Alliance cautions against the ‘latte levy’ in the UK


F


ollowing calls in the UK for the government to introduce a levy on takeaway coffee cups,


the Paper Cup Alliance (PCA) has welcomed the recognition of industry efforts to increase recycling but cautioned against measures that hurt consumers and harm the high street economy. The PCA’s statement came


after the Environmental Audit Committee’s (EAC) ‘Disposable Packaging: Coffee Cups and Plastic Bottles’ inquiry, during which it was proposed that cups of coffee should have a 25p levy, with the money raised used to improve the country’s recycling infrastructure. The EAC said that although some


coffee shops provide discounts for customers who bring their own cups, uptake of these offers is low at just 1-2 per cent of coffee purchases. EAC chair Mary Creagh MP said:


“The UK throws away 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups every year; enough to circle the planet five and a half times. Almost none are recycled and half a million a day are littered. Coffee cup producers and distributors have not taken action to rectify this and government has sat on its hands. “The UK’s coffee shop market


is expanding rapidly, so we need to kick start a revolution in recycling.” Creagh added: “Taxpayers are


footing the bill for disposing of the billions of coffee cups thrown away each year, whether or not they are coffee drinkers. “It is only right that


producers should bear more of the financial burden to help recycle their packaging, so my committee is calling for producer responsibility reform that rewards businesses that use sustainable packaging – and makes those that don’t face higher charges.” Most coffee cups are not


recycled in the UK because they contain a plastics sealing layer that contaminates conventional paper recycling systems, and


the processing systems for them that are similar to those used for beverage cartons are limited in capacity. Responding on behalf of the


PCA, Mike Turner said: “Paper cups are the most sustainable and safe solution for drinks on- the-go. Consumers want to do the right thing and we’re taking steps to support that through new infrastructure and country- wide initiatives. “The paper cups we manufacture in the UK are sustainably sourced, responsibly produced, recyclable and, through a number of facilities, are being recycled. We are committed to increasing recycling rates. Over 4,000 new recycling points were created in 2017 and a new country-wide


initiative is launching during January increasing options for consumers to recycle. “Taxing the morning coffee run will not address the issue of litter but it will hurt consumers and impact already struggling high streets. No packaging type is totally recycled and a ban on paper cups would hit manufacturing jobs and damage a growing service industry which makes a major contribution to UK Plc.” Research carried out in December 2017 revealed that, while coffee sales are cushioning local retailers from a tough climate, this life-line is threatened by the proposed ‘latte levy’. The indications are that introducing a tax on coffee cups will significantly deter shoppers, with more than a third saying it would discourage them from visiting their local high street. The PCA acknowledged


that too few cups are being recycled but that the industry was working hard across to improve on this. In October 2017, organisations in the paper cup supply chain signed an agreement with the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK) to accelerate UK recycling of paper cups.


WestRock invests in box-on-demand business


Paper and packaging manufacturer WestRock has agreed to acquire most of the assets of Plymouth Packaging Inc, a corrugated packaging company


that derives almost two-thirds of its sales from its Box on Demand brand and corrugated fanfold, and the remainder from traditional corrugated box packaging.


Michigan (USA)-based Plymouth’s market-leading systems are located on the customers’ sites and use fanfold corrugated to produce custom, on-demand


corrugated packaging that is accurately sized for any product type according to the customer’s specifications. The value of the deal was not revealed.


January/February 2018


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