Tap & Reuse is designed to replace single-use cups with durable cups that can be washed and returned to circulation up to 1,000 times. Once a cup can no longer be reused, it is recycled into new products, often cups, keeping the material in the system.
Thanks to its 97% return rate, Tap & Reuse has already prevented the consumption of 5,000 single-use cups and their lids at the British Library. Each cup has a QR code that can be scanned to show how long users have left to return it and the location of nearby points to do so.
Trefor Pollard, general manager of Graysons at the British Library, said: “This was a big change for both our customers and the café team. After just five weeks, we are delighted with the way it is going.
“The café team worked hard to make the transition pain-free; our customers are completely on board and together we are making a difference. Circular&Co. has been very supportive throughout, and, best of all, we have already removed 5,000 disposable cups from our waste stream.”
The scheme gives users seven days to return the cup. After this period, an automatic charge of £3 is applied and they consequently own it.