Paper cup; Green Party councillor at Dublin City Council Claire Byrne

After a series of motions submitted by Green Party Councillor Claire Byrne in the Environment Strategic Policy Committee, Dublin City Council have now agreed to set up an internal committee looking at banning non-recyclable coffee cups in their own buildings, reviewing catering agreements with suppliers, and will work to introduce the ban in markets and cafes within city parks.

This internal campaign will be supported by a city-wide external communications campaign to promote reusable coffee cups to the general public.

Speaking following the agreement, Councillor Byrne said: “I am delighted with this move by Dublin City Council. This is a great step towards reducing general waste in the city and increasing our recycling rates.

“We are throwing away 200 million coffee cups every year which end up in landfill or incineration. These type of measures, working in conjunction with organisations such as Conscious Cup Campaign, will take a large number of disposable coffee cups out of our waste stream.”

Dublin City Council to ban disposable coffee cups and single use plastics (Green Party)