Disposable Plastic Cups and Marine Litter: A Material Science Perspective

Running head: MATERIAL SCIENCE
Material Science
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1MATERIAL SCIENCE
Disposable Packaging: Coffee Cups. (2018). [ebook] Publications.parliament.uk.
Available at:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/657/657.pdf
[Accessed 29 Oct. 2018].
House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee in its Second Report of Session
2017-2019, addressing the issue of disposable plastic cups in UK published this report. It has
identified the issue that around 2.5 billion plastic cups are being used in UK every year and
thrown away without recycling. Approximately, 500,000 plastic cups are littered on a regular
basis, causing a hideous damage to our environment, which is not recoverable. An inquiry
was started in the year 2016 and was ended in 2017 with a conclusion that recycling the
plastic cups on-the-go has certain difficulties. This report has analysed specifically the issues
of plastic cups and set out some recommendations. Due to the plastic lining in the cups, they
are being disposed without recycling. Additionally, the plastic linings from the cups cannot
be removed by the recycling facilities. Government has made some announcements after this
inquiry that disposed cups will be recycled into Selfridge’s shopping bags. Government
recommended that that the littering of plastic cups should be banned. Needed focus has been
given on litter collection and waste management in the country. The Government has set up a
sustainable development goal and committed to encourage the large companies to adopt a
sustainable practice to recycle plastic cups. UK has welcomed the approaches of voluntary
commitment to in-store recycling systems adopted by Starbucks and Costa Coffee. The
Government has set up a target to recycle all the single-use coffee cups by 2023 and if the
target is not achieved, it would ban disposable plastic cups.