Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport in Germany, has introduced new reusable bamboo mugs at its restaurants, providing a sustainable alternative to its standard disposable cups.
Passengers using a refillable cup will also be offered a discount of up to €0.50 (US$0.60) on their beverage in certain restaurants, which can in turn be donated to an environmental group. Fraport estimates that around 25,000 hot beverages are consumed at its restaurants and cafés every day, the majority of which are served in disposable cups.
Daniel Gemander, who is responsible for managing the launch of Fraport’s reusable cup, said, “Passengers and staff can now purchase the perfect reusable travel cup right here at Frankfurt Airport. Made from a material as light as bamboo, it’s the ideal travel companion.
“The cup was created by Berlin-based designer Julia Schonlau and exhibits everyday scenes of life at the airport. It is available at more than 50 participating cafes and restaurants throughout the airport, at a cost of €12.95 (US$15.45) – including the first filling.
“We’re especially happy that all restaurants in the terminals are taking part. That makes it more appealing for frequent flyers and airport staff to adopt the reusable cups. If we can reach these two groups, then we’ve already made significant progress. Of course, there’s nothing like taking the time to linger over a good cup of coffee from a classic porcelain cup,” added Gemander.
The Hessian Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection also welcomes Frankfurt Airport’s new sustainability project. In 2016, the ministry launched the ‘BonusBecher’ (bonus cup) initiative, which more than 3,600 businesses have since joined statewide. All of them offer a discount for using reusable cups. The goal of the initiative is to sustainably reduce the number of disposables. In Germany alone, more than 2.8 million cups land in the trash each year.
