TORONTO, Canada – Tim Hortons celebrated Waste Reduction Week by announcing three initiatives that reflect the Tims For Good platform and a commitment to sustainability. Tim Hortons is partnering with WestRock to launch a test of an innovative new hot beverage cup design in January at select Vancouver restaurants. The test will feature cups that are made with up to 20 per cent post-consumer recycled content and are compostable and recyclable.
This design allows a greater proportion of the cup’s paper fibre to be recovered in the repulping process. The aim is to drive better economics for those that collect and repurpose post-consumer material and could help in our goal to have more recycling programs across Canada accept Tims cups. Currently, Tim Hortons hot beverage cups can be recycled in British Columbia and in some municipalities in other provinces.
“We’re proud to be taking this next step on our journey to develop cups that can be recycled anywhere in Canada, or that are compostable,” said Paul Yang, Senior Director of Sustainability and Packaging for Tim Hortons.
“We will be working with government and industry stakeholders across Canada to share the results of the trial. We want to share our progress so we can work together toward developing the best solutions for everyone to use for a more sustainable future.”
This latest design builds off previous work that separately tested cups made with post-consumer recycled materials, and cups that featured a liner that was compostable or recyclable. This trial is testing a cup that is compostable or recyclable while also utilizing recycled materials.
Testing AI-assisted recycling technology in 12 Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada
Tim Hortons is piloting artificial intelligence-assisted technology at select restaurants across Canada with the goals of providing recycling and composting education for guests and driving increased recycling and diversion rates.
Through a partnership with Vancouver-based Intuitive AI, waste bins at 12 restaurants across Canada will be equipped with a screen and product image recognition technology to identify packaging items that guests scan. The screen provides guidance to guests on whether the items they scanned can be recycled or go into the compost bin or should go in the waste bin.
The test period will begin with an analysis of how guests are currently using the waste, recycling and compost bins in select restaurants before the on-screen guidance is turned on. The technology is currently installed at test restaurants in Vancouver and will be added to select restaurants in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia before the end of the year.
Pilot project with zero-waste platform Loop using reusable and returnable packaging
Tim Hortons is also proud to be partnering with TerraCycle’s zero-waste platform Loop to pilot a program that will give guests the option of paying a deposit and receiving reusable and returnable cups or food containers so they can help us on our mission to reduce single-use waste.
The pilot is launching on Nov. 1 at five restaurants in Burlington, Ont. — at 1220 Brant St., 2201 Brant St., 3485 Harvester Rd., 4033 New St., and 29 Plains Rd. – with returnable cup and food containers available for guests to use for a $3 deposit per item. Deposits will be refunded via the Loop mobile app, which must be registered with a bank account. Guests can use any of the return bins located at the five participating restaurants to return their reusable cups or food containers. All returned containers are washed and sanitized before they become available to be reused.
“Through this test we’ll start learning how guests respond to a reusables and returnable packaging system – what they like or don’t like – with the aim of refining a system that is seamless and enjoyable for more guests in more cities in the future,” said Yang.
