Sip, Savor, and Now Recycle: Paper Cups Get the Green Light

Paper cups can now be recycled. Just make sure they’re empty and clean before tossing them in the recycling bin.

Why weren’t paper cups allowed in the recycling bin before?

We all know that paper is very recyclable, but paper cups have a thin coating or lining that lets them hold liquid, and in the past, this was a problem for the paper mills that buy our paper bales. Their technology could not handle that material.

What has changed?

The technology at paper mills has gotten more advanced. Now, the linings and the coatings no longer prevent them from recycling the paper part of the cup. The pulping systems can now separate the coatings from the fiber and recover the fiber as a feedstock for new products. Yield from the cup is in the 70 to 90 percent range, depending on whether the cup has a single or double-sided coating and the pulping system in use.

How does Casella decide what’s on the list?

We have to be very thoughtful about our acceptable list. If we say we can recycle something, we need to be confident that we have the technology to properly sort the material, buyers who will reliably purchase the material from us, and enough volume to justify that effort and investment. Once we put something on the list, it’s very hard to train people to stop, so we have to be very deliberate.

How long did it take to make this change?

This has been a two-year effort, at least. First, the technology evolved, and mills began to adopt it. Then, the industry organization that sets the recycled commodity standards (ReMA/ISRI) updated its specifications. Then we needed to communicate with our many paper mills to be sure they could all commit to the change. 

How will this change benefit our customers and communities?

Paper cups have always been a source of confusion for our customers, and many of our municipalities have been asking us for this change for a decade or more. This is another common item that their residents can confidently recycle as they work toward their sustainability goals.

What can you do?

Spread the word! Let your friends, families, and community members know of the change. You can always find our latest posters and resources at casella.com.RecycleBetter.