Smart Planet Technologies’ reCUP earns AAA rating

Smart Planet Technologies, London, announced that its reCUP technology achieved a AAA rating for recyclability from Europe-based The Green Dot (Der Grune Punkt) recycling standard. In addition, the paper cups are classified for recycling compatibility and collection streams alongside premium uncoated paper grades such as office paper. According to a news release from Smart Planet Technologies, The Green Dot recognizes standards for recyclability claims in 31 countries, including the United Kingdom and Ireland.

According to a Smart Planet Technologies’ news release, the company reports that its technology also was certified with Green Dot A rating recyclability certification in 2018. 

Given the U.K.’s coffee cup recycling debate and interest in reducing plastic content in packaging, Smart Planet Technologies reports that this certification is “a remarkable achievement for paper cup technology to not only achieve the highest rating available for recyclability qualifying for a collection category alongside office paper, but also reducing plastic content in paper cups by 40 percent.”

Smart Planet Technologies’ reCUP uses EarthCoating, a paperboard packaging coating producing paper cups that look the same and work just as well as any conventional paper cups. However, EarthCoating is designed to be universally compatible with conventional paper cup recycling systems, avoiding the challenges that have been found in recycling of paper cups and other coated foodservice paperboard packaging. With less plastic and easier repulping, paper cups with EarthCoating can also improve paper cup processing and efficiency in the U.K.’s efforts in specialist paper cup recycling schemes of conventional paper cups, currently at a 4 percent recycling rate. 

“EarthCoating continues to enable a new direction in the recycling of paperboard foodservice packaging,” says Chris Tilton, chief materials technology officer at Smart Planet Technologies. “Paperboard packaging with EarthCoating is engineered for recycling and valuable to recyclers to collect and recycle, while maintaining the required levels of packaging performance. The certification demonstrates the ability to take immediate steps to solve the problem, using any and all of the U.K. recycling infrastructure and programs.” 

This certification for paper cups with EarthCoating is compliant with the Packaging Recovery Organization Europe “PRO” program per EU Directive 94/62.