UK: Carton and paper cup recycling initiative activated by Cornish “bring banks”

14 Aug 2018 --- Residents in Cornwall are now able to recycle food and drink cartons and paper cups at seven Household Waste Recycling Centers (HWRC) in Cornwall thanks to a partnership between The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK) and Cornwall Council. The new “bring banks” are being supplied by The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK), representing its members Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc.

In Cornwall an estimated 450 tons of beverage cartons are put out for waste collection each year, according to the local Cornish Government. With the new “bring banks” available in HWRCs across Cornwall, residents are being urged to take their empty cartons and paper cups along with any waste or recycling that can't be collected by the Council's curbside collection service.

The service is a two-year pilot being funded by ACE UK. All cartons and paper cups collected at the recycling banks will be taken to ACE UK's specialist facility near Halifax.

Cornwall's Household Waste and Recycling Centers handle more than 80,000 tons of waste each year, of which more than half is sent for recycling, explained Cornwall Council portfolio holder for environment and public protection Sue James.

“People have been asking about recycling food and beverage cartons for some time, so I'm pleased ACE UK are working with us to provide this service at seven of our HWRCs,” she says. “Having ‘bring banks’ based at our HWRCs will allow people to bring their cartons with them when making a trip to their local center.”

“We know from surveys that residents want to be able to recycle more. While we can’t include this as part of our current curbside collections we are asking the bidders for the 2020 curbside collection contract to consider collecting additional materials, such as these cartons.”

Mandy Kelly, Senior Recycling Manager, ACE UK adds: “It’s great news that food and drink cartons and paper cup recycling has now come to Cornwall. From our conversations with the Council we know residents are keen to recycle cartons, so we are extremely pleased to install bring banks at these seven sites – and of course all cartons and cups collected will be recycled here in the UK.” 

Residents are advised to wash and squash cartons and replace the caps before placing in the ‘bring banks’ – and only paper coffee-type cups should be deposited in the banks, no other cups can be accepted.

Household Waste Recycling Centers are open every day between 9am and 4pm (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day), enabling residents to recycle a variety of items for free including household appliances, mattresses, gas bottles and wood. For a small charge, residents can also take bonded asbestos, tires, soil and rubble and plasterboard to the center.