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Returnable coffee cup scheme launches in Bristol

Hattie Ellis A young man in a Demin jacket smiling at the cameraHattie Ellis
George Clark, the Refill Return Cup project manager, said he hopes the cups will become the new normal in Bristol

A Bristol environmental charity is launching a returnable coffee cup to fight pollution and carbon emissions.

City to Sea says it has designed the Refill Return Cup to change the way city residents enjoy tea and coffee.

George Clark, project manager at City to Sea said: "We want this to become the new normal in Bristol."

Customers will be able to borrow and then return the reusable cup from participating coffee shops around the city.

The project is being launched at Future Leap Café in Bishopston on 16 June where people will be able to get a free coffee and pick up one of the reusable cups.

They will then be encouraged to return it to participating coffee shops through the Refill app, which directs people to places they can eat, drink and shop with less plastic.

Hattie Ellis A white cup with a grey lid that is reusable and being held by a woman with a blue jumper onHattie Ellis
The cups will be able to be returned at no cost at participating coffee shops

Head of development, Jane Martin said: "We want this scheme to take single-use cups out of the system in Bristol.

"This is an exciting project because we all love Bristol's green spaces but they are blighted by single-use cups.

"People should do this because we have a responsibility to reach net zero and reduce greenhouse gases and each less cup that is used helps cut carbon emissions and it will help make sure Bristol is the green lovely city it should be."

The design has taken years to complete and has been funded by the Bristol-based Ecosurety, a firm specialising in eco packaging.

City to Sea estimates that if the cup was used by just one in 10 residents just once a week, then 46,000 single-use cups would be saved across the city every week - adding up to about 2.5 million a year.

Hattie Ellis A picture of white coffee cups being handed to a womanHattie Ellis
The cups will be entering circulating on Friday June 16

People will be encouraged to return the 7,000 reusable cups, using the app, to the 11 cafes currently taking part, including University of the West of England, Brewnel's Coffee Shop at St Michael's Hospital.

It is hoped that the pilot will have as many as 30 participating cafes by the end of October.

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said: "A year ago I set City to Sea the challenge of making sure that any solution to plastic pollution is accessible to the whole city and they're rising to this challenge.

"City stakeholders from UWE to the NHS to small independents are joining forces. This is a 'one city' approach to help make sure that the places we love can stay litter free."

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