University launches new reusable cup scheme in effort to reduce carbon footprint

University of ManchesterSeptember 9, 2024

The University of Manchester has pioneered a new civic-engagement initiative as part of its commitment to sustainability and combatting climate change.

The ‘Bee Cup’ scheme is a joint project between the University, Manchester City Council and Manchester Climate Change Agency, which will see the implementation of a reusable cup scheme across campus.

Several café locations will be involved in this scheme – including the Student’s Union, Benugo and numerous locations on Oxford Road, such as the Royal Northern College of Music, Eighth Day and Bold Street.

To take part in this initiative, staff and students need to download the Vytal app; at UniCafés only, customers will receive their first Bee Cup drink for free. After finishing their drink, customers must return their Bee Cup to one of the participating locations where it will be scanned into the app, washed, stored and reused.

Customers will incur a £5 charge if their cup is not returned within 14 days. The price of disposable cups will increase from 20p to 50p to encourage customers to take part in the Bee Cup initiative.

Thousands of single-use cups are bought, used and discarded across multiple campus café locations every year. Though many of these cups are considered compostable, they cannot be recycled easily and are instead disposed of as general waste.

Sophie Jones, In Our Nature Community Engagement Lead from Manchester Climate Change Agency, said: “In Our Nature is a partnership programme dedicated to supporting communities and individuals across Manchester to connect the climate crisis with practical actions we can all take to reduce carbon, save money and learn new skills.

“We’re delighted to be supporting the Bee Cup returnable cup scheme as part of our Community Support offer; helping to reduce waste and enable individuals to make more sustainable choices every day.”

The Bee Cup scheme was developed as part of the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy launched in 2023. The strategy outlined a plan to reduce the University’s carbon footprint, promote sustainability in teaching, learning, research and innovation, and reduce its negative environmental operational impact.

Alison Shedlock, Director of Campus Services, said: “We are so excited to be launching the Bee Cup and working with partners in the city. I hope that the university community embraces the scheme so that we can significantly reduce the number of single use cups purchased on campus and reduce our carbon footprint, with the objective to expand the scheme across Manchester.”