The NextGen Consortium has presented a plan to achieve a circular economy for paper cups in the United States

The NextGen Consortium has released a new report that outlines practical steps to accelerate paper cup recycling in the US.

The report assesses the role of each stakeholder in the paper cup recovery value chain and provides recommended actions to increase paper cup recovery opportunities.

Currently, the majority of paper cups end up in landfill due to their non-recyclable and non-biodegradable nature.

The Consortium proposes a three-pronged approach to address cup waste, including advancing reusable-cup systems, exploring material-science innovation, and strengthening materials-recovery infrastructure.

The report highlights the need for collaboration among stakeholders to solve the challenge of paper cup waste and ensure cups are not wasted in landfill.

The NextGen Consortium, which includes Starbucks, McDonald’s, The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, JDE Peet’s, The Wendy’s Company, and Yum! Brands, plays a key role in advancing innovation and partnerships in this area.

While paper-based products are often seen as a solution to eliminate single-use plastic waste, the recycling rate for paper cups is relatively low due to the difficulty in recycling blended and composite materials. Currently, only about 11 percent of communities accept cups in their recycling operations.

However, there are paper mills that accept cups and reprocess them into new products. The report highlights key market challenges and opportunities in the beverage-cup-recyclability problem and emphasizes the importance of proper cup recycling options for residents.

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