Gdynia inhabitants will soon drink coffee in reusable city-branded mugs

A first in Poland

In yet another demonstration of pro-environmental thinking, Gdynia authorities have found a way to help residents lead a more sustainable lifestyle while promoting a local business. A few weeks from now, the Polish city will be issuing locally-made reusable coffee mugs, hoping to reduce the number of disposable items that turn into rubbish.

The side benefit - making the city brand more recognisable and fostering a sense of pride among local citizens.

Towards a closed-loop economy

Earlier this week the Polish port city of Gdynia announced its decision to take patronage over a reusable city mug project. According to the city website, thanks to this project, the inhabitants of Gdynia will soon be the first in the country to use an aesthetic and reasonable alternative to plastic cups, a one made of a safer and more lasting material - polypropylene.

It is believed that one such cup can outlast at least 1000 disposable single-use cups. And if damaged, the mug can be fully recycled and become a new mug once again, thereby closing a full production cycle.

Therefore, as of next spring, the familiar UR CUP will be transformed with a new city-inspired design and start circulating in a deposit system. This means that people buying a drink will be able to "rent" the mug, and then at the next point of sale operating within the system, return the empty vessel and collect the deposit back. Any environmentally conscious business serving drinks in Gdynia can become partner and join it.

The project will be led by Gdynia-based company UR CUP, experienced in serving drinks at many well-known and popular events across Poland where they are operating a deposit system. “The city of Gdynia is a partner of the system, which is another step aimed at building awareness of the limitation of the use of disposable packaging and the zero-waste idea,” explained Michał Guć, Gdynia vice-president for innovation, as quoted on the municipal website.

The cup manufacturer and system operator will take care of deliveries and ensure a full-service package, which involves washing, logistics and storage. “The inhabitants of Gdynia will be the first in the country to take advantage of the innovative UR ​​CUP city mug design. The system operates in a closed-loop economy that prevents littering and wasting valuable material. The company delivers new reusable cups to partner points and collects used and damaged cups. The latter are granulated and reused in the production of new cups,” said Krzysztof Dobroszek, founder of the UR CUP brand.

The system is expected to start working in early spring.