A partnership between the Metropolis of Lisbon, recycling expertise agency TOMRA and the Portuguese hospitality affiliation AHRESP is aiming to chop litter and emissions with a “sensible” deposit-return system. The system is claimed to be able to eradicating 1000’s of littered cups from town’s public areas each evening.
The initiative quantities to Lisbon’s “making historical past as the primary European capital to roll out a city-wide reusable cup system backed by a neighborhood deposit-return mannequin,” say the teams. It’s meant to deal with plastic waste, slash emissions, and produce a better reuse mannequin to town’s bustling nightlife and hospitality sector.
From Friday 27 June, the primary TOMRA-operated return factors went stay at two historic kiosks in Praça de São Paulo and Praça do Príncipe Actual. Prospects buying drinks obtain them in reusable cups, paying a deposit that’s absolutely refunded upon return – just by tapping their card or cellphone on the assortment level. Full roll-out of the reusable cup system is deliberate for October 2025.
A sensible system constructed for city life
The undertaking is powered by TOMRA’s “Rotake” system – a full-service reuse mannequin together with digital monitoring, cup assortment, sanitation, and redistribution. TOMRA, which developed fully-automated reverse merchandising expertise, is managing the complete lifecycle of the cups to make sure effectivity, hygiene, and environmental efficiency.
“We’re proud to associate with Lisbon on this first-of-its-kind metropolis system in a European capital,” mentioned Geir Sæther, Head of TOMRA Reuse. “The system deployed in Lisbon is designed particularly for city areas – making reuse simple, clear and rewarding for everybody concerned.”
Each evening, 25,000 cups are used throughout Lisbon’s leisure areas. Regardless of cups being labeled and bought as “reusable”, no system has been in place to gather, clear and recirculate cups.
Coverage meets infrastructure
The roll-out follows the Lisbon Municipal Regulation banning single-use plastic cups, a daring transfer that required sturdy infrastructure to succeed. With TOMRA’s scalable system and robust native buy-in, town is now able to ship actual impression.
“Lisbon is dedicated to main by instance, selling sustainable options to single-use plastics and interesting companions in actual change towards extra aware consumption habits. This can be a concrete step towards constructing a tradition of reuse in our metropolis and galvanizing different municipalities to comply with the identical path,” mentioned Rui Cordeiro, Metropolis Councillor for Waste Administration and Round Economic system, Metropolis of Lisbon.
Hospitality sector onboard
Essential to the system’s success is participation from the hospitality sector. AHRESP, Portugal’s largest hospitality affiliation, helps deliver cafés, bars, and nightlife venues into the reuse loop.
“This initiative represents a vital shift for the resort/restaurant/catering (HoReCa) sector, which now takes on an energetic and central position within the transition in direction of a extra round financial system. Institutions not solely acquire a sensible answer to adjust to the brand new laws, but additionally a chance to guide, along with customers, a sustainable and optimistic change in habits for town of Lisbon”, mentioned Carlos Moura, President of AHRESP.
Reside Demo at MUDE
The system was showcased throughout the “Lisboa a Reutilizar” summit at Lisbon’s Museo de Design (MUDE). Attendees – together with policymakers, city planners, and environmental leaders – received a hands-on have a look at how the system works, together with the TOMRA return level and refund course of.
The way it works
- Customers obtain drinks in reusable cups for a refundable €0.60 deposit
- Cups may be returned to TOMRA assortment machines, positioned throughout town
- No registration wanted – simply faucet a contactless card or cellphone to obtain the refund
- TOMRA manages logistics, sanitation, and redistribution for a seamless loop
By October, town will introduce a standardized “Lisbon cup” for all collaborating bars and venues in central neighborhoods, with 17 return factors deliberate throughout the downtown space.
TOMRA mentioned the Lisbon initiative builds on its success in Aarhus, Denmark, the place over 1 million cups have been returned with a return price exceeding 85% after 18 months. Lisbon goals to go additional, seemingly setting the benchmark for capital cities throughout Europe.
“This isn’t nearly cups. It’s about altering how cities take into consideration assets,” mentioned Sæther. “Lisbon is displaying that with the correct companions and sensible coverage, reuse may be mainstream, trendy, and massively efficient.”
