A bio-based, biotransformable single-use cup developed by eGreen International in collaboration with London-based polymer technology specialist Polymateria will make its UK debut at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026, positioning itself at the centre of the industry’s debate on fossil-free materials and fugitive plastic waste.
The VeriGreen® Plus cup is engineered to be recyclable while incorporating a time-delayed biotransformation technology designed to activate if the product escapes the recycling stream. Manufactured from a polymer derived from recycled cooking oil, the material behaves like conventional plastic during its intended lifecycle, maintaining strength, appearance and usability.
Caroline Wiggins, Chief Executive of eGreen International, framed the development within broader climate and materials policy discussions.
“It’s a single-use product but made from fossil-fuel-free material,” she said. “If you follow COP28 and all the global conversations, you’ll know the world is moving towards fossil-fuel-free, carbon-free materials. At the moment, all plastics come from oil. This material doesn’t. It’s made from recycled cooking oil that’s turned into a polymer, and then a technology is included that if the product is left in the open air, it biotransforms and returns to nature.”
Addressing Fugitive Waste
Polymateria, founded in 2015, developed the underlying technology to address what it describes as a gap in the market for solutions targeting plastic waste that escapes collection systems.
Celine Moreira, Global Partnerships Director at Polymateria, said the company set out to combine circularity with biodegradation.
“There was a gap in the market: no credible solution existed to tackle fugitive waste. There wasn’t a solution that was both circular and biodegradable,” she said. “That’s where we decided to start and design this technology.”
The cup incorporates a defined dormancy phase of three years, during which it performs identically to conventional plastic. If exposed to environmental triggers such as heat, air, sunlight and moisture outside managed waste systems, the technology initiates a biotransformation process.
According to Moreira, the process “attacks both crystalline and amorphous regions of the polymer and transforms into a wax-like substance that microbes can safely metabolise,” adding that “most importantly, it leaves no microplastics and no toxins.”
The technology is underpinned by independent verification against the BSI PAS 9017 specification. Steven Altmann-Richer, Corporate Affairs Officer at Polymateria, highlighted the importance of standardisation.
“Standardisation is incredibly important because it provides that neutral benchmark,” he said. “The creation of the BSI PAS 9017 standard by BSI was an important moment for us because it enabled us to clearly demonstrate that we can do what we say we can.”
Deployment In High-Volume Venues
Beyond laboratory validation, the product has already been deployed in large-scale, high-footfall environments. Wiggins confirmed that Twickenham Rugby was among the first major adopters, introducing the cups during the Women’s World Cup in August.
“At a site like Twickenham, where 80,000 people are served drinks in a short window, reusables are difficult due to loss, cost, and logistics. So, a single-use cup that’s recyclable and fossil-fuel-free is a much more viable option,” she said.
Liverpool Football Club has also received its first delivery of VeriGreen® Plus cups, reflecting rapid uptake among major UK venues. The cups were further endorsed through King Charles’ Terra Carta mandate, following a visit to the technology labs at Imperial College, according to the company.
Twickenham reportedly achieved a 98% cup collection rate during initial deployment, demonstrating compatibility with existing collection and recycling systems.
Material Credentials And Market Positioning
VeriGreen® Plus is described as carbon neutral and manufactured from 100% ISCC-certified material linked to used plant oil via Mass Balance. The QR code printed on the cup directs consumers to disposal guidance, supporting collection and education initiatives.
For eGreen, the product sits within what Wiggins describes as a pragmatic, multi-material strategy.
“Government policy is very clear: reduce, reuse, recycle. That is the mantra. Reduce where you can—reuse where possible. Recycle the rest. VeriGreen Plus is designed to operate within this framework, supporting businesses, consumers, and the planet simultaneously.”
The UK debut at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026, held on 11–12 February at the NEC Birmingham, will mark the first opportunity for British converters, brand owners and foodservice operators to evaluate the technology in person.
As regulatory scrutiny intensifies and extended producer responsibility frameworks reshape material choices, technologies that combine recyclability with verified end-of-life safeguards are likely to attract close attention from packaging decision-makers seeking both compliance and reputational resilience.
