The Coffee Cup Revolution is back for a refill!

Every year, thanks to sponsorship and community support from organizations like Central City Foundation, Binners’ Project hosts the Coffee Cup Revolution to demonstrate what a coffee refund system can achieve and encourage dialogue about how binning can support green communities and vice versa.

Binners’ Project is a group of waste-pickers, aided by support staff, dedicated to improving their economic opportunities and reducing the stigma they face as informal recyclable collectors. They run social enterprise programs that have the triple benefit of waste diversion, community economic development and social inclusion.

“The Coffee Cup Revolution is so important for the community and recognizes the hard work binners do daily,” says Binners’ Project Director, Sean Miles. “The value binners provide for our environment and community by diverting waste from landfills is highlighted here – the Coffee Cup Revolution is a celebration of them.”

After cancelling the event last year due to the pandemic, Binners’ Project is excited to return for the eighth annual Coffee Cup Revolution on October 7, 2021. This year, to mirror changes made by the Province to increase the bottle refund, they will be raising the refund on coffee cups from 5 cents to 10 cents.

This will double the income earned by binners from the Coffee Cup Revolution.

“Cups are really lightweight compared to other things like glass,” says Ed Hawkey, Binners’ Project’s Head Coordinator, who is a binner himself. “It’s a great event to be able to refund them for some extra cash and help get them out of the landfills.”