THANKS to five new food and drink carton recycling banks, plastic-lined paper cups can now be recycled in the Forest.

The new service enables the cups commonly supplied by coffee shops, fast food outlets and petrol stations to be recycled in carton banks in Lydney, Coleford, Newent and Birdwood.

The scheme is a partnership between the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK), the Forest district council and Gloucestershire’s joint waste team.

Cllr Sue Coakley, chair of Gloucestershire’s joint waste committee said: “The carton recycling banks already accept the type of packaging usually associated with fruit juices, milk drinks and premium soup brands, but from this month plastic-lined paper cups will also be allowed. 

“The change is the result of an agreement between ACE UK, which operates the banks, and high street retailers and cup manufacturers and is a great opportunity for residents in the Forest of Dean to recycle even more of their waste. 

“We would always ask residents to use re-usable cups where possible, however, we do want any single-use cups to be recycled and this initiative makes that much easier to do.”

Cllr Chris McFarling (Green,?St Briavels and Newland) Cabinet member for the environment at the Forest Council said: “Britons are currently responsible for binning 25,000 tonnes of beverage cups annually. That’s more than the weight of rubbish from Forest of Dean households in an entire year. Adding paper cups to the items already accepted at the carton recycling banks is an exciting development and a clear step in the right direction.

“All too regularly the packaging from ‘on-the-go’ food and drink items, and in particular coffee cups, will end up as roadside litter so this is also a great opportunity for residents to think about the wider implications and opt for a reusable drinks cup if they can. Most coffee shops are more than willing to fill a reusable cup brought from home.”

The new carton banks are located at Kings Head public house in Birdwood, Railway Drive car park in Coleford, Newerne Street and Bream Road car parks in Lydney and Lewell Street car park in Newent.