Simply Cups to launch recycling scheme in the Netherlands and Belgium

Simply Cups, the cup collection and recycling service in the UK and Australia, will extend its geographical coverage further by launching in the Netherlands and Belgium on the 12th June 2019.Together with local Dutch-based partners, Product for Product and Cupcare Company, Simply Cups will offer hospitality and catering outlets, events and stadia operators and businesses of all sizes, the opportunity to have their used beverage cups collected and then recycled into new, functional products, thereby closing the loop on cup waste.

It is estimated that 3 billion cups are used each year in the Netherlands and 1.5 billion in Belgium, and, although a number of cup recycling schemes already exist, none cover the entire Benelux region and not all have the technology to transform both paper and plastic cups into second-life, durable products. Both of Simply Cups’ local partners already have proven experience in the Benelux market in operating established waste to resource programmes and creating demand for products made out of waste materials.

Peter Goodwin, co-founder of Simply Cups, said: “With more than a years’ planning invested into the launch of Simply Cups in the Netherlands and Belgium, we are highly confident that we have chosen the right partners and commercial approach to meet market needs. Consequently, we fully expect that the scheme will quickly become the region’s dominant cup recycling brand.” “At the official launch, in Eindhoven, at the beginning of June, we also expect to announce a number of major customers, including leading retailers and large corporations. Furthermore, we will also launch our rCUP, the world’s first re-usable cup made from used cups”, added Peter.

Purmerend-based Product for Product already runs a wide-range of highly successful closed-loop recycling programmes for clients, throughout northern Europe, with particular expertise in turning segregated waste streams back into functional office supplies, paper products, packaging and even interior fabrication. Retour, scheme managed by the CupcareCompany, established since 1991, currently recycles more than 100 million plastic and paper cups a year from the Dutch market. “Over the last five years, Simply Cups has developed the most-trusted cup-recycling brand in the UK and Australian market”, says Frans van den Berge, Director of Product for Product.

 Maarten Wernsen, Founder and Managing Director of Cupcare Company, says; “The market particularly in Belgium, is crying out for a fresh approach to the tricky issue of cup recycling. Nothing explains the success of recycling schemes better than products, such as the rCUP, that are both made from the used materials and stimulates re-use. Demand for recycled products consequently drives up demand for the waste material which in turn stimulates businesses to try even harder to increase recycling rates”.