Lisbon's reusable cup system is expanding its return network across Bairro Alto. But why cannot every reusable cup be returned through the machines? We explain how the system works, what still needs to be done, and why genuine reuse involves more than simply providing a durable cup.
Reducing the thousands of cups discarded on Lisbon's streets, particularly in areas with a vibrant nightlife, represents a significant environmental and urban challenge. CopoMais was created to address this problem as a joint initiative between Lisbon City Council, AHRESP and TOMRA, launched in November 2025.
The project is based on a simple principle: a cup should be used, returned, cleaned and put back into circulation through an organised, safe and accessible process.
However, the implementation of this model has raised questions, particularly regarding which cups can be returned through the automated collection machines.
CopoMais machines are not general collection bins for plastic cups. They form part of an integrated reuse system designed to accept cups that have been individually identified and registered in advance. See also: How CopoMais works.
Each cup included in the system has a unique identifier, allowing its usage cycle to be tracked, the consumer's deposit to be refunded, and the cup to be sent for cleaning and quality control before being returned to participating establishments.
This is why a cup marketed as reusable is not automatically accepted by CopoMais machines.
It is important to emphasise, however, that CopoMais is an open system that can accommodate cups from different suppliers, provided they meet the identification, registration and operational requirements necessary to join the collection and reuse network.
The aim is not to restrict reuse to a particular brand or cup design, but to ensure that collected cups can genuinely be returned to circulation under controlled conditions.
Not necessarily.
A cup may be manufactured to withstand repeated use. However, its environmental benefits also depend on how often it is actually reused and whether there are suitable arrangements for its return, collection, cleaning and redistribution.
This is precisely what CopoMais seeks to provide through an integrated operation involving collection, logistics, cleaning, quality control and digital tracking.
At participating venues, each CopoMais cup carries a refundable deposit of €0.50. After use, consumers can return the cup to an operational collection machine and recover the deposit through a bank card or digital wallet.
Anyone can return a cup, regardless of whether they originally purchased the drink. The deposit is essential to give consumers an incentive to return them after use rather than leaving them in a random waste bin or in the streets.
The installation of the cup return network in Bairro Alto is now at an advanced stage.
Introducing infrastructure into public spaces, particularly in one of Lisbon's historic neighbourhoods, has involved a series of procedures and approvals that have affected the original implementation timetable.
Most of the planned collection network has already been installed, although some machines are still awaiting the necessary authorisations by municipal and regional authorities before they can become operational.
CopoMais recognises that the effectiveness of the system depends on more than installing machines. They must also be operational, and an increasing number of establishments must offer cups that are part of the reuse network.
The immediate priorities are therefore to bring the remaining machines into operation and expand participation across the hospitality sector. Achieving this will require consistent communication and enforcement by the project partners.
The success of CopoMais depends on the involvement of hospitality businesses, the convenience of returning cups for consumers, and the ability to keep cups in circulation through repeated use.
Bringing new participants and different cup suppliers into the system offers an opportunity to expand its reach and help reduce waste in public spaces. Anyone operating their own cup system in Lisbon can contact CopoMais at reuse@tomra.com to explore how their cups can be included in the system.
Lisbon needs practical solutions that work in everyday life, for residents, visitors and the businesses operating across the city.
CopoMais aims to contribute to this change, recognizing that expanding the network, securing the participation of hospitality businesses and providing clear information to consumers are essential to achieving the intended results.
Genuine reuse does not begin at the machine that accepts a cup, nor does it end when the cup is returned. It begins with the confidence that the cup will be used again – and again.
Check out the map of CopoMais collection points and participating establishments
Do you want to offer CopoMais cups at your bar in Lisbon? Contact us here.
CopoMais, the reusable cup system now helping Lisbon to conserve resources and reduce single-use packaging litter in the city, will be presented at the ENLU conference in Guimarães this September.
Summer in Lisbon means people hit the streets to enjoy food, drinks and culture. But this year, residents and visitors to the Bairro Alto district in Lisbon can quench their thirst with a new twist: CopoMais. CopoMais is Lisbon’s new reusable cup system, now being rolled out in Barrio Alto. This new system is designed to address the plastic packaging waste challenges of the Portuguese capital’s historic center.
Two new CopoMais return stations have been installed in Lisbon, one in Principe Real and one in Miradouro S. Pedro.