Killarney, an Irish town rids itself of the ‘plague’ of disposable coffee cups

The Irish town of Killarney has successfully eliminated the pervasive problem of disposable coffee cups, which was often referred to as a “plague.” This transformation occurred three months ago when Killarney became the first Irish town to impose a ban on single-use coffee mugs, and the positive outcomes are now evident.

Previously, Killarney, a renowned tourist destination, grappled with a persistent issue of coffee cups littering its streets, overflowing trash bins, and tarnishing the scenic beauty of its national park. The town used to go through millions of cups annually, roughly 23,000 per week, resulting in 18.5 tonnes of waste.

As a solution to this problem, residents and visitors are now required to carry their own reusable cups. Those who do not have their own cup must pay a deposit of €2 (equivalent to approximately $2.11) to receive a reusable cup from a coffee shop. This deposit is refundable when the customer returns the borrowed cup.