AN initiative credited with slashing the number of disposable drinks cups thrown away has won the University of Brighton a top award for sustainability.

The university won the Sustainability in Education Award title from Footprint which annually runs industry awards for sustainability in the supply chain.

The MyCup initiative involves students and staff using their own, or buying a reusable bamboo cup, from any of the campus outlets in Hastings, Eastbourne and Brighton.

Since its launch last September, customers have used their own mugs 75,000 times, saving as many disposable cups from being thrown away.

Celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall said: “It’s fantastic seeing the University of Brighton joining in the war on waste by tackling the issue of disposable cups with their MyCup initiative.”

David Hicks, deputy director of the university’s accommodation and hospitality services, said: “Many congratulations to everyone who has contributed to this fantastic achievement, including our brilliant front of house teams for selling the virtues of reusable cups.

“Thanks also to the Environment Team for its expert advice and invaluable help from the very start.

“More than 75,000 paper cups have been saved from waste and incineration in less than nine months and we are planning to push on with increasingly ambitious targets through 2018/19.

“I also want to thank students and staff at the university who have supported the scheme from the start.”