Welcome to the 7-Eleven Cup Rescue Schools Program​
This program helps schools recycle their cups, saving them from landfill.
Our goal is to educate the next generation of Australians about how recycling works, and recycle as many cups as possible.
How does the
#CUPRESCUE program work?
Set up the cup collection units around your school grounds and begin collecting used coffee & Slurpee cups, lids and straws.
When the collection units are full, simply tie off your sleeves and deliver them back to your partnering 7-Eleven store.
Simply Cups pick up all collected cups from 7-Eleven stores and deliver them to technology partners all around Australia.
Technology partners transform the used cups and lids into upcycled products, like outdoor furniture and wheel stops!
Set up your
Cup collection units
Once accepted into the program, your school will receive up to three cup collection units.
​
Your Cup Collection Units have 2 Tubes:​
-
A tube for Paper-Based Cups only (coffee or Slurpee cups).
-
A tube for Lids and Plastic Straws.
​
Source separating the different components of the cups helps us ensure we have clean resource streams for recycling. This part is a big reason why Simply Cups can recycle cups, while traditional sorting facilities cannot.
Where should we
Locate collection units
That is up to your school, however a few suggestions:
-
Your cafeteria, staff room, reception (for parents), or your Year 12 common room.
-
The units are most effective where people finish using their cups. So look for your general waste bins that have the most cups in them.
-
We recommend keeping your collection units near your other bins (e.g. landfill and/or co-mingled recycling). We find that if the cup collection units are located by themselves, then other waste streams get mixed in with the cups (e.g. chocolate wrappers, bottles, cans) because people tend to use the bin most convenient to them. Source separation works best when all options are available.
​
Educate your school and community
About the program
For the program to work as best it can, it's important for everyone to know what CAN and CAN'T go into the tubes.
Educating all members of your school community including parents, visitors and students about the program is the best way to avoid contamination.
​
When you sign up to the program, we'll send you a poster to put up around your school. Place this in highly visible locations to educate and familiarise everyone on how it works.
​
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Sharing photos of staff and students recycling cups is the best way to educate everyone about how the program works. Our aim is to recycle as many cups as possible, so we'd be grateful if you could encourage schools to join.
​
Guide to
Minimising contamination
What CAN and CANNOT be collected
Acceptable
Contamination : Cannot be collected
Empty cups
Stacked bottom first.
Lids
In separate sleeve.
We accept all brands of paper cups, including PE and PLA (compostable/biodegradable).
This includes coffee cups and Slurpee cups.
​
Each sleeve fits 40-60 cups if stacked correctly.
NO
Plastic cups, cans or bottles.
No mixed sleeves of cups and lids.
No excess liquids at bottom of sleeve.
No opaque or compostable bags or sleeves. See-through bags only.
If a cup recycling sleeve or bag becomes contaminated, all cups and lids within that sleeve cannot be recycled via Simply Cups.​ That means our collections driver will not empty that bin during your next collection.
​
​
NOTE: If you do see someone using the wrong bin, let them know.
People will do the right thing if they just know how.
How to empty and maintain your cup collection units
Lift off cap from tube.
Slowly pull out the full sleeve of cups.
Check that cups are well-nested and remove any contamination.
Tie off the end of the sleeve tightly.
Get a new clean sleeve. Fold it in half, then slip it into the tube.
Fold over the sleeve at the top, allowing approximately 10cm of overhang.
Replace the tube cap.
Repeat process for lids tube.
Return your full sleeves of cups and lids to your assigned 7-Eleven Store.
Replacement Sleeves
Running low on Tube Sleeves?
Please request your partner 7-Eleven store to order new sleeves on your behalf.
You should have received their contact details on your Welcome Email, or just visit them and ask. Tube Sleeves are provided FREE as part of the program.
FAQs - The #CUPRESCUE program
What cups can go into the cup recycling units?
Any brand of paper-based coffee, Slurpee and other take-away cups can go into the units.
Can plastic straws also be recycled through the program?
Yes, plastic straws can be deposited in the Simply Cups recycling units. Straws can be placed in the same receptacle as the coffee cup lids. Plastic lids and plastic straws are recycled with the cups.
What about plastic cups such as Iced Coffee, Slurpee mega and super, and the Slurpee lids?
These plastic cups and lids are are already recyclable and can be placed in co-mingled recycling bins (general household/commercial recycling).
What happens when I run out of cup recycling unit sleeves?
Your partnering 7-Eleven store will be able to order some more sleeves for you, which will be delivered to the store for you to collect.
Who is my main point of contact for the Cup Rescue program?
The Retail Business Manager of the store is your main point of contact alongside the Store Manager. These 7-Eleven staff members are who you will meet upon your program induction. If you are unable to contact them for any reason, reach out to our #CUPRESCUE team at cuprescue@7eleven.com.au.
How do I best take care of the units?
Units can be placed inside or outside during school hours. They need to be brought inside overnight and on the weekend. Collection Units can show sun and water damaged if left exposed to harsh weather conditions.
​
We also recommend giving the units a wipe down every now and then with spray and wipe to keep them nice and clean.
What do I do once I have some full cup sleeves?
Once you have collected some full cup sleeves, simply deliver them back to your partnering 7-Eleven store. Let the store staff know who you are, and they will have you put the cups in the back-of-house wheelie bin ready to be collected by Simply Cups.
​
You can ask your partnering store what drop off day/s work best. Note that our main aim is to be consistent with cup drop-offs to align to our cup collections (i.e. one drop -off every fortnight or month, vs one extra-large drop off every 3 months).
FAQs - About Simply Cups Australia
Why can't cups be made from 100% paper?
The plastic lining is crucial to prevent the liquids from seeping through the paper.
Why can't plastic straws be recycled through general waste?
Plastic straws cannot be recycled because when they travel down the conveyor belt at the recycling facility, they are too small to fall through the cracks. This means that straws sit in landfill for years, or worse pollute our oceans and waterways.
Why not just use biodegradable or compostable cups?
Unfortunately, biodegradable cups are usually required processing in a dedicated facility but most end up in landfill, where they do not biodegrade correctly. This is why we believe our Simply Cups partnership is the best solution in Australia right now.
​
When products are correctly described as compostable, this refers to their 'technical suitability' for composting under optimum physical chemical and biological conditions. These conditions are only met at commercial composting facilities, however there is currently no service available to all Australians to allow them to compost the cup through these facilities.
​
Biodegradable or compostable cups also take much longer to break down than other organic material (such as food and garden waste), so composting facilities don't tend to accept them, which means the cups still end up in landfill, where the don't break down as landfills don't provide the optimum conditions for composting.
Does my council accept paper-based cups in my kerbside recycling bin?
Most councils do not accept coffee cups in their kerbside recycling. We recommend you contact your local council for confirmation.
Think resuable first!
7-Eleven and Simply Cups acknowledge reusable is always the best option, and it's important we continue to work towards creating less waste in the first place.
​
7-Eleven continues to encourage Australia to think reusable first. Reusable coffee cups, Slurpee bottles and standard school water bottles are welcomed at all 7-Eleven stores.
​
We thank you for your ongoing support!