Top Dutch employers to stop using disposable cups at workplaces from January 2024

A new law in the Netherlands, effective January 1, will significantly reduce the use of disposable cups at work, as revealed by an AD survey among the country's twenty largest employers. Most office workers will switch to reusable cups, aligning with a European directive to decrease waste from single-use plastic.

The new regulations stipulate that offices, companies, and institutions cannot use disposable cups and containers with plastic components starting January 1, 2024.

Despite State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen (Environment) stating that the rules will not be strictly enforced initially, major Dutch companies plan to remove disposable cups starting in January.

According to AD, the top twenty employers in the Netherlands are expected to save around 300 million plastic cups annually. The national government, with approximately 110,000 employees, expects to reduce its use by about 70 million cups, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior.

This change will also affect the 63,000 employees of the Dutch police, who are also transitioning to a “bring your own cup” policy. They expect to save 36.5 million disposable cups per year, according to a spokesperson.

Large private companies such as Jumbo, KLM, Philips, and ASML will also switch to reusable cups in the new year, AD reported.

This measure forms part of the Netherlands' implementation of the European Directive on single-use plastics. Other measures that are part of this directive include a ban on plastic cutlery, plates, and stirrers implemented in 2021, a deposit on small plastic bottles, a deposit on cans that took effect in April 2023, and a deposit for takeaway food and drinks containers in July.