The Dutch national rail company (NS) launched a trial of returnable coffee cups in Rotterdam on Monday in an attempt to reduce the 30 million disposable cups thrown away at its stations every year.
NS, in alliance with 14 businesses and nine retail chains, began offering a durable plastic cup in the central station and throughout the city. A deposit of €1 ($1.10) is charged for the cup, which can be washed and reused.
It can be returned to any one of the automatic machines provided by the station or participating businesses.
The machine prints a receipt with a QR code that can be scanned to secure transfer of the deposit through a banking app.
NS said that discarded cups made up about 5% of station refuse. The rail operator and the Transport Ministry are aiming for zero-refuse stations by 2040.