Will coffee franchises need to become more sustainably aware?

A federal government inquiry into plastics could brew up barriers for Australian coffee brands after it was revealed that disposable paper cups, which contain plastic linings that take longer to decompose, contributed 60,000kg of land fill waste annually.

The head of the inquiry, Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, has said the ocean was becoming a “plastic soup.”

In a report by News Limited, the senator said producers should redesign the commonly used take away option.  Although there are options for biodegradable coffee cups, many cafes choose not to use them due to their expense.

According to the 7.30 Report, Australians use one billion disposable coffee cups a year and up to 90 percent could wind up in landfill.

Even cups labelled “recyclable” may not be reprocessed because local councils have different standards for recycling.

Coffee cups are now said to be the second-biggest cause of litter waste behind plastic bottles.