UK visitor attractions Blenheim Palace and the Eden Project have teamed up to eliminate more than 600,000 single-use coffee cups every year.
Through the new sustainability initiative, Blenheim and Eden are eliminating around 620,000 single-use coffee cups annually, which represents a combined saving of 27 tonnes of CO2e per year – equivalent to heating 12 domestic homes for 12 months.
The returnable cup scheme was introduced at the Eden Project in March 2023. Blenheim Palace expanded the initiative to the entire site in October 2023 after a successful trial.
Powered by green tech company Re-universe, the scheme is now fully operational at both sites.
David Green, Blenheim’s head of innovation, said: “The returnable cup scheme is a major step towards our net zero pledge, and it’s hugely gratifying to be working alongside Re-universe and Eden Project in leading the way for other UK tourist destinations and retailers.
“We believe climate change is the single biggest threat to Blenheim’s long-term survival and we’re committed to doing all we can to reduce and mitigate its impacts and help safeguard this World Heritage Site and its resources for future generations.”
Here’s how the returnable cup project works: visitors pay a small deposit for a cup, which is then returned to a reverse vending machine. The deposit is refunded when the cup is returned, and the cups are collected, washed and reused.
Becky Fenner, hospitality manager at the Eden Project, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do here at the Eden Project and with so many visitors coming through our doors every year, it is crucial we are walking the talk and operating in as sustainable a way as we can.”
Sustainability at UK visitor attractions
Rachel Warren, CEO of Re-universe, added: “Blenheim Palace and the Eden Project are setting a new standard for sustainability in the tourism industry.
“Their successful implementation of the returnable cup system serves as a model for other attractions, businesses and communities aiming to reduce waste and promote environmentally responsible behaviour.”
Blenheim Palace aims to be carbon neutral by 2027, and the Eden Project plans to be climate positive by 2030.
Images courtesy of the Eden Project and Blenheim Palace
