UU to get rid of disposable cups as of November 1

The coffee machines located in public spaces and the buildings used for educational purposes will now use cups made of hard, reusable plastic, and they will charge 1 euro per cup. The coffee machines in UU's office buildings will get rid of plastic cups altogether. UU's employees can use the mugs available in the pantries.

The coffee machines will be reconfigured between November 1 and November 5, so disposable plastic cups will no longer be available anywhere as of November 6.

Sustainable choices
UU students and employees can also bring their own mugs from home or make use of the Billy Cup, a reusable cup that is already available for 1 euro at restaurants, cafés and coffee corners.

Utrecht University has also commissioned the so-called Circular Cup, which is made from recycled cups and features the university's logo. You can buy it online or at the reception of the Administration building or the Utrecht University building for 19.95 euros. 

National law
Before the summer, the price of disposable cups had already been raised from 10 to 25 cents in UU's coffee machines, in accordance with another national regulation stating that people should pay more for disposable cups and containers when ordering food and drinks.

The raise was a means of preparing for the prohibition that would come on January 1, 2024, which means that the university is adapting early to the new rules set in the Hague. Thanks to the measure, UU will stop using some 1.2 million disposable cups each year. In addition, the university has the ambition to reduce the amount of waste it dumps or incinerates until it produces no waste anymore by 2030.