Intertek (London, U.K.), a leading quality assurance provider to industries worldwide, announced this week the company has successfully supported Frugalpac, a pioneering nearby U.K. packaging firm, in developing a recyclable coffee cup. The innovative cup is now being trialed by some of the world’s major coffee brands.

Intertek partnered from the outset of the project with entrepreneur Martin Myerscough and his team at Frugalpac to establish the viability of their proposed recyclable cup by conducting and managing recycling trials, testing the cup’s functional performance, and measuring the cup’s carbon footprint.

"We started with an idea, but through working with Intertek, we were able to test and prove the viability and environmental impact of our innovation, which has attracted the interest of companies including Starbucks and Caffé Nero that desire environmentally responsible products," said Martin Myerscough, CEO of Frugalpac.

 

"Intertek can help companies on their innovation journey, as testing is a vital part of bringing that innovation to fruition." He adds, "In a market where innovation is essential, measuring and proving the environmental impact of a product is of utmost importance. Unlike traditional coffee cups, the Frugalpac cup is made from recycled paperboard and can be recycled in normal paper recycling mills. The success of this product is based on simple good design which facilitates recycling in the real world. Intertek is delighted to be part of this process," stated the head of Sustainability at Intertek’s Health Environmental and Regulatory Services, Gary Parker.

Intertek seeks to help support manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to meet their sustainability and regulatory goals through the development of tailored programs designed to manage the environmental performance of their products and supply chains, resulting in more efficient production processes and improved corporate profile.