Blaenau Gwent based business The Pure Option has started a crowdfunding campaign to fund the production of a compostable and recyclable disposable cup.

The Llanhilleth-based business has been researching new materials to replace non-recyclable plastic lined cups with a cup that can be composted to add positively to the environment or can be recycled into paper.

When asked “why there was need for a compostable and recyclable cup” operation director Deb Richardson stated that the reason was “composting disposable cups is the best way of disposing of take-away cups but unfortunately not all councils will allow compostable packaging to be added to food waste collection so there was a need to create a cup that could be disposed of in an environmentally positive way, regardless of how waste is processed” .

In order to bring the cups to market The Pure Option has launched a Crowdfunding campaign on Crowdfunder to make the new cups a reality.

Deb Richardson said the reason for crowdfunding was “we felt that crowdfunding was a great way for people to make a difference and help to turn our research into a reality and we feel there is a feeling of helplessness when it comes to the environment, so this was a great way for people to feel engaged and feel they were helping to fix an environmental issue”

The company was started in 2018 - following on from the environmental-award-winning Purely Disposables - with the mission to replace single use plastics and they have grown to the point they now have Europe’s largest range of compostable products with over 500 products made from plants to replace plastic packaging.

For details of the crowdfunding campaign, see crowdfunder.co.uk/create-a-hot-cup-that-is-recyclable-compostable