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United Airlines is taking another step toward reducing single-use plastics by replacing its familiar blue plastic beverage cups with new paper versions throughout its onboard operations.
The transition began August 1st, with the new cups first appearing on international flights and services operated by United Express. The airline plans to complete the rollout across its mainline domestic network by October 1st.
Matthew at Live and Let’s Fly reports that according to United the switch is expected to eliminate approximately 250 million plastic cups each year, which makes it one of the carrier’s largest efforts to reduce disposable plastic waste.
The redesigned cups are suitable for both hot and cold beverages. They allow flight attendants to use a single product instead of stocking separate cup types. The new paper cups also have a slightly larger capacity than the plastic cups they replace and feature a water-based lining designed to meet both recyclability and compostability standards.
The initiative also helps United comply with increasingly strict regulations limiting single-use plastics in markets including Canada, the European Union, Hong Kong, and India where environmental requirements continue to evolve.
Beyond introducing new drinkware, the airline has made additional changes to improve waste management. United recently updated its onboard recycling collection process and received approval from US Customs and Border Protection to recycle certain international cabin waste arriving at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) (a move that could increase the amount of material diverted from landfills).
While the new cups are designed to be recycled, their ultimate destination will still depend on whether airport and catering facilities are equipped to properly separate and process the materials after each flight.
Anthony’s Take: I don’t have a preference in cups. Paper, plastic, or glass is fine. I don’t drink hot beverages on airplanes and am fine with any type of vessel for my ginger ale. The cup replacement is part of United’s broader sustainability strategy as the airline continues looking for opportunities to reduce waste and simplify onboard service while lowering its environmental footprint.
(Featured Image Credit: United Airlines.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
1 comment
It is a big downgrade if you are drinking wine or a cocktail. Drinking wine from a paper cup really diminishes the flavor and pleasure of it.