A RESUABLE Dawlish cup has been launched in a bid to help reduce waste.

Environment group Dawlish Against Plastic has produced the cup which features a design created by local artist Tessa Challenger.

It will cost £6 and be sold by cafes and take away outlets around the town that sign up to the reuse and reward scheme

Participating businesses will be given a point of sale poster to display.

Customers will be able to get 30p off every take away hot drink at Reuse and Reward businesses, if they remember to bring their own cup.

Dawlish Against Plastic spokesman Vanessa Ryley said: ‘Reuse schemes such as this are really important for saving precious natural resources.

‘Both the production and disposal of single use cups have negative impacts on the environment.

‘More than 20 million trees are cut down annually to produce 2.5 billion single use cups.

‘Only about one per cent of these are recycled as they are lined with plastic which makes recycling difficult.

‘Cups labelled as compostable are rarely composted in this area as they require industrial composting temperatures and Devon does not have this type of facility.

'There are now 16 businesses in Dawlish town and many more in Dawlish Warren where you can buy take away hot drinks.

‘We will be visiting businesses to sign them up to a scheme that aims to significantly reduce the amount of take away cups that are given out for one use and then put in a public bin and sent for incineration.’

The cup was officially launched at an event at the Brunswick Arms in Dawlish attended by county councillor Rosie Dawson and members of the Dawlish Against Plastic Steering Group, all of whom played a ‘significant role in bringing this initiative to fruition’.