7-Eleven and Simply Cups rescue 20 million cups from landfill

7-Eleven Australia’s partnership with Simply Cups has reached a new milestone with more than 20 million cups rescued from landfill and 100 schools signed up to the 7-Eleven #CupRescue Schools program.

7-Eleven became the pioneer partner of Simply Cups in 2018, and according to 7-Eleven Australia CEO and Managing Director, Angus McKay, the aim was to reduce the amount of single use cups ending up in landfill. 

“We’ve been proud to support Simply Cups in their work to remove single use cups, straws and lids from landfill and turn them into new products,” Mr McKay said.

Mr McKay said that the milestone is exciting, there’s still more that 7-Eleven wants to achieve with Simply Cups.

“20 million cups recycled is a great number to reach, but we want to increase the rate of recycling. We have more than 660 cup recycling units installed in our stores, and there’s hundreds of other recycling stations we’ve supported being installed in schools and other locations,” Mr McKay said.

“We want every single use cup to be recycled and for people to use re-useable cups wherever they can.

“7-Eleven is the leader in coffee in convenience, selling more than 80 million cups a year. We want to lead the market in reducing how many single use cups end up in landfill.”

In late 2020, the company launched a new 7-Eleven #CupRescue Schools program with the aim of empowering young people to champion reducing single use cups in landfill in their local communities. The program provides access to free recycling infrastructure to schools. 100 schools have now signed up to the program, and there are plans to continue to expand.

“All of us here at 7-Eleven are committed to being part of a solution, and the #CupRescue Schools program is making a difference,” he said.

“Young people are voices in our community that can make a real difference. I have been incredibly inspired by some of the initiative participants in our schools program have shown to encourage single use cup recycling in their communities.

“Our community needs more schools participating in the program, and more students advocating to reduce single use cups ending up in landfill. The more schools that know about it, the more cups we can recycle. 

“We’re asking any high school that is willing to collect cups and drop them back to their local 7-Eleven to sign up via www.7eleven.com.au/cuprescue.”

“We’ll provide participating schools with free cup collection units to enable students and staff to collect cups at their school. All the school needs to do is collect cups and drop them off at their partnering 7-Eleven store.

“I’d love to get cup recycling at every high school in Australia with a local 7-Eleven.”