Island Waste Management reminds Islanders: paper coffee cups can be composted

Island Waste Management Corporation is reminding Islanders that paper coffee cups are compostable in P.E.I.'s system. The refresher aboutthe cupsis in response to some recent discussion on social media, according to the corporation.

IWMC CEO Gerry Moore says thecompany hascomposted the paper cupssince itswaste watch program was implemented in 2003.

"We have always composted paper coffee cupsnot Styrofoam or plastic cups."

"The paper serves as a strong carbon source in the composting process."

Moore said the paper cups that you typically get fromdrive-through coffee shopsdo contain a small amount of plastic inside, but that the plastic is removed during a screening process.

Diverting waste from landfill

Moore saidcups from fast food restaurants can also be composted but when it comes to coffee cup lids, hesaid many are not recyclable and can be difficult to tell apart.

"For the most part, if it feels like plastic we would suggest that go in waste."

Moore said it's important that paper coffee cups go into the compost because they're everywhere.

"I'm not sure how many coffees are sold on P.E.I. on a regular basis but I'm sure its hundreds of thousands on a daily or weekly basis," he said.

"If we decided to put them in waste, a lot of them would be landfilled."

Moore said anything that can be diverted away from the landfill helps save space and money.

"It's only in our best interest for everybody to compost them."

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