Newport Cup: Reusable rolled out to cut plastic use
Newport now has its own re-usable cup scheme, in a project designed to drastically cut the town's consumption of single-use plastic.
The 'Newport Cup' had its first run-out at Newport Carnival last weekend. The cups are brightly-coloured re-usable receptacles, specifically designed to handle hot drinks and be used at least 400 times.
Sustainable Newport are behind the initiative, which will be set up at future Newport events including the Field to Fork Festival.
It is also being rolled out in day-to-day use in the town, with six businesses already signed up and organisers keen to recruit more.
One of the six already involved is high street coffee chain Costa, which Susanne Bearblock of Sustainable Newport said was a coup.
She explained: "Each cup can be used a minimum of 400 times but if they're treated in ideal conditions you can at least double that.
"That is a really big footprint you're removing.
"We have six locations involved, and we would love to have more."
The other shops to have signed up include Deli 45, the Den, Smallwood Lodge, the Gallery Cafe and Tea on the Cobbles.
The cup has been produced with the help of Zero Waste Events and Cup Solutions, who are also behind the recently-launched Shrewsbury Cup.
Litter
Newport Cups come in blue, green or pink, to match up with the colours of Newport in Bloom.
Town mayor Peter Scott said: "From my point of view anything that helps cut down on single-use plastics has got to be a good thing.
"As a litter picker in town we get lots of it. If this takes off properly it will reduce the numbers we pick up and that's got to be a good thing.
"I personally never understand all the coffee we drink but that's the way we are now.
"We have been almost brainwashed into thinking we've got to drink coffee all the time and that means lots of plastic waste.
"We've got to support the Newport Cup because it's something that could work."
Chair of the town's Chamber of Commerce Patrick Beech said: "I think it's a splendid idea – anything to reduce plastic waste."
Anyone else in Newport interested in signing up can contact the group at info@sustainablenewportshropshire.org, or on Facebook or Instagram.
Last month Sustainable Newport rewarded three businesses who had become 'Plastic Free Champions', the Aroma Emporium. Smallwood Lodge and All About Newport.
