The Challenge

In 2021, Ireland produced the most plastic packaging waste in the EU at 73 kg per person (Research Matters, 2024). Within that mix of waste, we discard approximately 22,000 disposable takeaway cups every hour. That’s 528,000 a day or an estimated 200 million annually, translating to 3,700 tonnes of single-use cup waste generated every year (Recycling List Ireland, 2018). 

Most of these cups are made from paper lined with polyethylene (PE) to make them waterproof (Repak, 2018). PE is the world’s most commonly produced plastic (Science Direct, n.d). While it is technically possible to recycle the cups, most paper mills do not have the capability to do so (Repak, 2018). As a result, most cups end up in landfill or are sent to incineration (Smyth, 2024). Disposable cups are also among the top 5 items found as litter along our coastline (Clean Coasts, 2024) where they break down into harmful microplastics that damage marine life, coastal ecosystems and ultimately end up in the human food chain (Department of Health, Western Australia 2021). Microplastics have been found in virtually every part of the human body including the brain, lungs, placenta, bone marrow, as well as in blood, urine and breast milk (Yale Environment 360, 2024).

The Circular Opportunity

Shareclub is a multi-award winning Irish company, and CIRCULÉIRE member, offering smart reusable solutions to help their clients reduce their environmental impacts. Founded with a mission to embed reuse into everyday operations, Shareclub helps offices, canteens, events and cafes replace disposable cups and bowls with reusable alternatives, supporting organisations to meet their sustainability goals.

Shareclub provides businesses with reusable hot drink cups, reusable cold drink pint cups and reusable bowls for regular use in their workplace canteens or cafés, as well as for corporate events, conferences, and festivals. Shareclub offers their clients a borrowing system to suits their needs, such as RFID tags which are ideal for canteens or cafés, or a borrow & return app which is more suited to campuses and workplaces. They also offer branded options for customers who wish to buy their cups outright.

Shareclub’s technology tracks borrowed items, providing clients with customised impact dashboards and measurable data—such as CO₂ savings and waste reduction metrics—for their sustainability reporting.

Shareclub helps businesses integrate sustainable practices into their day-to-day operations and backs it up with real reportable data. By offering a digital borrowing model for reusable cups at events, workplaces, cafés, and take-away services, Shareclub ensures high return rates and significant waste reduction. Their services include impact dashboards and reporting tools that help businesses manage reusable stock and access sustainability insights. Shareclub’s digital system keeps track of usage and return rates, providing precise data on waste reduction and environmental footprint—all crucial to Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) reporting (Shareclub, 2025).

Climate Impact

Shareclub has already made a notable impact by saving over 15,000 disposable cups and preventing more than 5,700 kg of CO₂e emissions (Shareclub, 2025). Their digital-enabled reuse system produces 90% less waste and cuts procurement and waste expenses by approximately 65% (Shareclub, 2025).

Shareclub intends to expand their network to more than 200 partners within the next four years with a focus on waste reduction, community engagement, and behavioural change through consumer education. Their digital-enabled reuse system has reported a 98% return rate, contributing to a more circular system and a reduction in future plastic production. Client testimonials from the Dublin Coffee Festival, Guinness Enterprise Centre, and Dublin City Council demonstrate the effectiveness and positive reception Shareclub’s solution has received (Shareclub, 2025).

Replicability

Other examples of reusable system providers include:

• 2GoCup is an Irish deposit-and-return scheme for reusable cups and food containers, operating across cafes and businesses in Ireland.

• RECUP is Germany’s largest reusable deposit system for coffee-to-go cups and takeaway bowls, with over 20,000 partner locations.

• Vytal is a digital, deposit-free reusable packaging system for takeaway meals and drinks, using QR codes and a mobile app to track containers.

• Again is a UK based company creating a network of cleaning facilities ("CleanCells") to enable the large-scale, cost-effective cleaning and redistribution of reusable packaging for brands.

• Loop is a global reuse platform that partners with brands to offer products in durable, returnable packaging, which is collected, professionally cleaned, and refilled.