Current Students and Staff

Loughborough University staff and students are advised to avoid the ‘latte levy’ and be more environmentally friendly by ditching disposable cups.

Each year on campus we use a million throwaway paper and plastic cups and this habit could be about to get pricey.

MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee have recommended that the Government impose a 25p levy on disposable hot drink cups to reduce their use, improve Britain’s reprocessing facilities and enhance the country’s ‘binfrastructure’. 

Here at the University, you can do your bit to help the environment and avoid the potential coffee charge. You can:

Drink it in

Take some time out and enjoy your coffee in a crockery cup in one of the University’s retail outlets.

Ditch the disposable – get the Loughborough Cup

Use a reusable cup and get a 10% discount on your coffee (in the University’s retail outlets and at Starbucks in the Students’ Union).

The University now has its own branded reuse mug, the Loughborough Cup, which is available to buy in most of the campus retail outlets for the price of £7 (includes three free hot drinks, valid for the University’s retail outlets but not Loughborough Students’ Union).

Available in a choice of three colours, the Loughborough Cup is made from bamboo fibre, one of the fastest growing and most sustainable naturally organic products, and non-GMO corn starch.

Many high street coffee companies also offer discounts for reusable cups. Why not carry yours and ask? Even if you are not offered money off, you will be reducing the number of disposable cups going to landfill.

If you do happen to use a disposable cup, make sure you recycle it in the special cups bins which are located in the retail outlets, dining halls and other such shared areas on campus. Just be sure to flip the lid off and place that in a plastic recycling bin.

For more information on the University’s cup campaign, visit the Sustainability website.