Innovation improves recyclability of vending cups

Berry Superfos launches vending cups made only of lightweight PP, allowing recycling of the cups and also reducing the use of virgin material. Vending cups are single-use cups specially designed for self-service vending machines – for example, for coffee, other drinks and sometimes even soup.

While by definition these cups cannot be reused, they can now be more easily recycled after use; at least if the cups are produced by Berry Superfos Beverage Systems. The reason for this innovation is that the company recently launched vending cups made solely of PP. Recycling of these vending cups is now a real possibility in regions where there is recycling infrastructure in place for PP. Nigel Cannon, UK Sales Manager, Berry Superfos Beverage Systems, says: “Thanks to our on-going innovation at Berry Superfos, we are now able to offer our customers vending cups that are mono-material – made of polypropylene (PP) only – which is considered a recyclable material in many European countries. This is a huge step forward from the former polystyrene cups, a material that is not considered commonly recyclable due to a lack of recycling collection and infrastructure. Further, the new cups of PP are top quality, yet have particularly low weight, as they are produced with a minimum amount of virgin material.” The PP vending cups can be used for both cold and hot drinks. A further advantage is their safety brim fill gap, which means there is a little extra space at the top of the cup. This gap allows for contraction when held, thereby preventing risk of the drink overflowing – a big plus, especially when people enjoy hot drinks or soups.

Part of 660 issue – July/August 21. All rights reserved except agreement written by Emballage Digest or mention of the magazine