The Problem

Approximately 500 billion coffee cups are produced annually around the world,

Each cup takes about 50 years to break down and decompose,

The paper used for the cups comes from the 4 billion trees which are felled annually for the paper industry,

Disposable paper cups are lined with 5% polyurethane plastic, which makes recycling of disposable cups both difficult and expensive.

The Solution

5Inc has devised a method of separating the plastic lining from the cardboard outer, whilst creating jobs at the same time.

The coffee cups are then turned into seed balls. Seed balls are vegetable or flower seeds encapsulated in a protective casing. They are used to replant areas where the natural flora has been eroded, or where an easy solution to mass planting is needed.