Are Bubble Tea Cups and Straws Recyclable?

Bubble tea, with its wide range of flavours and exciting toppings, has become a global sensation and a staple in many cities. While fans constantly seek the next creative flavour, one question is often overlooked: what impact does bubble tea have on the environment? As the trend grows, so does the waste it produces. In this post, we explore whether bubble tea cups and straws are recyclable, highlight sustainability practices, and offer guidance for both consumers and shop owners.

The Popularity of Bubble Tea

Bubble tea encourages creativity and customisation, resulting in some truly wild creations. For a glimpse into this world, see our post Top 5 Bubble Tea Instagram Hashtags to Follow. However, its growing popularity raises environmental concerns.

Are bubble tea cups recyclable?

Recyclability is increasingly important. Fast food and takeaway waste is highly visible in urban areas. Walk down any city high street and you will notice overflowing bins filled with coffee cups and food boxes. The bubble tea industry faces the same challenge. Customers and shop owners need to know whether bubble tea cups can be recycled.

Standardisation Helps

The bubble tea industry benefits from standardisation. Most UK bubble tea shops use similar cups, typically 90mm or 95mm in diameter and 500ml for regular sizes or 700ml for large. Standard sizing helps ensure that recycling solutions work across different shops.

Plastic Cups

The plastic cups and lids synonymous with bubble tea are generally made from Polypropylene (PP) which is recycled throughout the UK and can be recycled by most local councils from kerbside pickup (check with your local council to be sure). This common plastic is used throughout the service industry and the plastic straws and cup lids are generally made from the same plastic.

PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol) is an alternative plastic that some cups are made from. These cups are slightly more difficult to deal with when it comes to sealing lids. However, PETG is also recyclable.

Whether you are a customer or shop owner, knowing that your cups are recyclable is a must.