Three Creative Ways To Recycle Coffee Cups in BC

Disposable coffee cups for hot and cold beverages are recyclable throughout British Columbia thanks to RecycleBC. Considering how millions of single-use coffee cups land in landfills every year, it’s essential to make sure you do everything you can to recycle your cup correctly. Accordingly, it’s important to note that coffee cups are not paper nor compostable. Only the coffee cup sleeve is recyclable as paper.

If you empty and rinse your coffee cups, most municipalities will accept them as containers under their blue box program and with curbside recycling.

Here at Fleetwood Waste, we help companies recycle millions of coffee cups, paper plates, and other food containers every year. While it’s always great to recycle coffee cups through a blue box program or a local waste management company, these aren’t the only ways to recycle them. That’s why we have put together this list of unique ways to recycle coffee cups, ideally giving them a new life.

Reuse Coffee Cup Lids As Cat Food Can Covers

As one Reddit user discovered in 2019, Tim Horton’s coffee cup lids fit perfectly on most cat food cans. This holds true for their newer lid designs and is an excellent way to recycle a coffee cup lid while saving an open can of cat food overnight in your refrigerator.

Reuse Paper Coffee Cups As Planters

There are many excellent ways to reuse everyday items for gardening. You can use coffee cups as planters to start an indoor garden. Their small size allows you to place on your windowsill and move them around as necessary. Use popsicle sticks to double as labels and act as support for budding sprouts.

Recycle Coffee Cups By Using Them For Crafts

Coffee cups, especially when you have different sizes, make for excellent pencil holders. As items people consider a part of their everyday life, no one will judge you if they see them holding crayons for your crafty child—even more so when your name is misspelled, or the design is lovely.

While our list is not exhaustive by any measure, it’s easy to tell there are many ways you can recycle coffee cups. Before you throw anything away, think about the potential uses for it. That is step one towards being a more ecologically responsible individual.

Today, more than ever before, recycling is essential. As British Columbians, it’s not just a part of our duty but our identity. Just being a bit more thoughtful and recycling where we can, our natural resources will continue to remain beautiful.