Rock concerts and music festivals, top-flight sports such as Bundesliga football, handball or volleyball, and outdoor events of all sizes: there is growing demand for the recycling system based on transparent, cornstarch-based PLA (polylactide) cups.
Corn cup cycle
Hygienic and safe
Events and drinks go hand in hand! Recyclable cold drink cups made from cornstarch (PLA – polylactide, cornstarch-based) are increasingly coming to the focus – as a hygienically sound alternative to glass that also protects against injury.
The 0.3-litre cups (also available in 0.4- or 0.5-litre versions) were put through their paces in a practical test and documented on camera – from delivery and serving, through single-stream collection after use, right through to the recycling process for the production of a valuable secondary raw material, from which new bio-based plastics – used, for example, in the automotive industry.
A deposit scheme for the cups has proven highly effective for single-type collection. This ensures that the used containers return to where they were originally filled and put into circulation (preventing littering).
Recycling Cycle
Conventional recycling refers to the final stage of processing discarded recyclable materials into a new product.
MATERIAL: PLA (polylactide) is a material made from renewable raw materials (maize starch). Visually, the cups are almost indistinguishable from conventional plastic cups.
RETURN: The only condition is that the used cups must be ‘completely emptied’, i.e. used to their full capacity.
SINGLE-MATERIAL COLLECTION: A deposit system for the cups has proven highly effective. This ensures that used containers are returned to the same place where they were originally distributed (preventing littering). Organised cup return points serve as an alternative.
COLLECTION: The used cups are collected in the same way they were delivered, namely in cardboard boxes – using an environmentally friendly circular system (thus avoiding unnecessary CO₂ emissions).
RECYCLING: Logistically efficient transport to a recycling company; there, final sorting (to completely avoid contaminants) and cleaning take place.
END PRODUCT: The recovered PLA granulate can be reused to manufacture other bio-based plastics.
Sport brings people together,
sustainability unites us
During a sustainability match day organised by SWD powervolleys Düren in the 2024/2025 Volleyball Bundesliga season, players and fans joined forces to send a strong message. All cups at the ARENA Kreis Düren were collected and subsequently recycled into a reusable secondary raw material.
Dimitrios Mouchlias
Greek national volleyball player
CONTACT PERSON
Christoph Stahlhacke, PAPSTAR Solutions GmbH
