Glasgow, Scotland Sees Success with Single-Use Cup Return Program

Last July, the Take It Back initiative was launched by Keep Scotland Beautiful, the National Cup Recycling Scheme, and Starbucks which has proved successful in Glasgow.

The campaign encourages consumers to return single-use cups to be properly recycled at one of the 121 participating stores. Reports are encouraging as retailers such as Greggs, McDonalds, and Starbucks have worked with Glasgow and Dundee City Councils to prove how easy it is.

Other stores displayed bin and window stickers and adverts have been placed on the subway to increase awareness for the program. Results have shown that single-use cup numbers have dropped 12 percent in retail stores in the program and 6 percent in general bins.

"Take It Back helps support people to do the right thing, returning their single-use takeaway cups to stores for recycling therefore reducing the number of single-use cups discarded inappropriately in Scotland,” said Paul Wallace, campaigns and social innovation manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful.

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