Coffee cups
Bin: Cup collection point (if available)Collected separately, paper cups become tissue paper again.
By sheer number, paper and cardboard cups are one of the biggest waste streams. If the site has a cup collection point they stay a clean raw material; if not, residual waste is the only route. Empty your cup and stack it — 500 to 600 stacked cups fit into one bag. Note: plastic vending cups do not belong in this stream.
This belongs in it
- Paper coffee and tea cups
- Cardboard cups
- Cups emptied and stacked
- Only where a cup collection point is available
This does not belong in it
- Plastic (polystyrene) vending cups — those go in PMD
- Plastic lids (PMD)
- Stirrers and tea bags (residual waste)
- Cans and bottles (PMD or deposit return)
- Cups still full of drink — empty them first
- No separate collection on site? Then residual waste
What happens to it?
- 1. Collection point on site
A cup collection point stands next to the coffee machine or in the canteen: a tube, column or collection bag. If there is none, the cup belongs in residual waste.
- 2. Collected separately
The cups are collected as a separate stream. They do not travel with the paper stream: the plastic coating and drink residue would disrupt it.
- 3. Separating coating from fibre
At a paper mill with a dedicated cup line, the plastic coating is separated from the paper fibre.
- 4. Back as a product
The fibres are processed into tissue paper and into reusable cups.
Where is it processed?
At a paper mill with a dedicated cup line. Which processor that is differs per collector and per location.
This is what it becomes
Good to know
Rules and legislation
Two rules touch cups. The Circular Materials Plan sets no separation duty for cups — collecting them separately is your own choice. The single-use plastics rules go further: since 1 January 2024, reusable is the norm for on-site consumption. Disposable cups containing plastic are only allowed if they are collected separately and recycled, and that exception is being narrowed to hospitality, closed events, day attractions and (sports) clubs. For offices and other organisations the exception is withdrawn: reusable becomes mandatory. The amended rules formally take effect in 2027, with a transition year before enforcement.
Sources
The figures and rules on this page were checked against the following sources.
- Staatssecretaris maakt regels voor wegwerpbekers en -bakjes praktisch en duidelijker (19 december 2025)Rijksoverheid
- Regels voor wegwerpplasticRijksoverheid
- Regels voor wegwerpbekers en -bakjes die plastic bevattenAfval Circulair
- Gescheiden houden van bedrijfsafval en gevaarlijk afvalRijkswaterstaat — Circulair Materialenplan
- Afvalstromen en dienstverleningDe Graaf Groep
Checked on 19 August 2026