Wellington Airport introduces reusable cup scheme

Wellington Airport has become the first airport in New Zealand to introduce a reusable coffee cup lending scheme across selected cafés in the airport’s terminal.

The airport has partnered with Wellington-based social enterprise Again Again to launch the lending scheme providing reusable stainless-steel cups with silicone lids.

Passengers borrow an Again Again cup and lid with their coffee adding a refundable $3 to their coffee purchase and return the cup back at participating outlets at the airport or other cafés in the Again Again network for a full refund.

Passengers can also drop used cups into dedicated receptacles located around the airport, donating the $3 refund to native tree regeneration programme ‘Trees that Count’ and the cup is then put back into circulation.

Wellington Airport’s Manager of Sustainability and Environment, Nicola Cordner, expects passengers will embrace the service. She said: “This initiative is part of our transition towards eliminating unnecessary single-use items. We recognise airports aren’t the easiest places to bring a reusable cup as people have to plan in advance, remembering to wash and bring their cups each time. This scheme gives passengers the same benefits of a reusable cup with the added convenience of not having to bring their own from home.”

Again Again co-Founder and Director, Nada Piatek, is encouraging more airports around New Zealand to follow Wellington Airport’s lead: “It’s a real benefit to have an airport in our network that is helping close the reuse loop as residents and visitors travel to and from the city.”

This initiative is part of a wider sustainability programme recently launched by Wellington Airport which includes reducing the amount of waste entering landfill. The programme has already resulted in over 30,000 kilograms of passenger coffee grounds recycled into premium compost by not-for-profit organisation Zoo Doo and the airport is also working with its partners to eliminate single-use plastics and compost organic waste.