Green Cafeen Swap and Go coffee cup program aims to stop hundreds of cups going to waste in Katanning per week

Cafes across Katanning are turning green in a bid to reduce the number of disposable cups going to waste.

The Green Caffeen Swap and Go coffee cup program is set to roll out 1250 reusable glass cups to cafes across Katanning in the coming months to encourage residents to move away from disposable cups.

Customers will be able to borrow reusable cups free from the cafes by signing up with the Green Caffeen app, allowing participating customers and cafes to share the cups through a QR code system.

It is estimated Katanning residents throw 1000 takeaway cups into landfill a week, equating to more than 50,000 a year.

Katanning has secured $9000 in Federal funding and $2000 through the Shire of Katanning to fund the new cups so cafes do not have to bear the burden of paying for them.

Katanning Landcare executive finance officer Andrea Salmond said while it was up to each cafe and customer to decide whether they participated in the new program, a simple change of habits could make a “big impact”.

“Even the compostable cups that go to landfill take about two years to break down,” she said.

“These reusable cups we are getting are resourced from recycled materials. One reusable cup will be made from four recycled bottles.

“By doing this, we are creating a circular life cycle for the products which is far more sustainable because we will have less litter going to landfill.”

Green Caffeen is a nationwide program, meaning customers can use and return takeaway cups at participating cafes from Perth to Melbourne.