Borouge International (formerly Borealis), OMV, Greiner Packaging and event supplier Altstoff Recycling Austria (ARA) have teamed up to create a closed-loop system for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, with 100,000 reusable cups made from 100% recycled plastic due to be used on-site.
According to the partners, the initiative saves approximately five tonnes of virgin raw materials. Each step of the value chain takes place within Austria, from waste collection and processing to cup production.
The reusable cups are produced using plastic packaging waste collected through Austria’s nationwide yellow bag and yellow bin system in both urban and rural areas. After collecting, the material is sorted and converted into high-quality flakes by ARA.
OMV then processes the flakes at its ReOil plant, where they are transformed into synthetic crude oil. Borouge International converts the feedstock into ‘sustainable, food-grade’ Borcycle C plastic granules, used by Greiner Packaging to manufacture the reusable cups, said to be durable and fully recyclable.
Each cup features a printed QR code linking to ARA’s digital recycling guide DigiDot, available in 25 languages. DigiDot aims to help visitors identify correct waste separation options and nearby collection points during and after the event.
Once the Eurovision Song Contest has ended, the partners say cups showing wear or damage will be recycled and returned to the loop while reusable cups will be donated to social institutions, in an effort to deliver lasting environmental and social value.
Last month, Borouge International (then known as Borealis) and FSG Returnables worked with the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) to introduce a reusable cup system to its hospital cafés, a move expected to reduce waste and lower Extended Producer Responsibility costs. The system includes Zero Waste Cups, a mono-polypropylene solution that uses material from Borouge International’s Daploy high-melt-strength portfolio.
In 2025, Borealis and Messe Düsseldorf piloted a reusable cup scheme at K Show, aiming to cut waste and offer a ‘practical blueprint’ for advancing circularity at large-scale events. In February, Philip Knapen, Borealis’ application development and technical service manager for Consumer Products, told us more about the company’s core learnings from the project.
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