JAMES Cropper Paper & Packaging has teamed up with waste management company Biffa to produce a new children’s storybook designed to encourage proper recycling habits and community engagement.
Whitney the Wasteater and the Wrong Bite has been launched to coincide with World Book Day and is aimed at children aged 2-7. The story follows Whitney, a lovable yet picky Wasteater who thrives on clean, dry recyclables but falls ill after taking a wrong bite from mixed or contaminated bins. The tale blends imaginative storytelling with practical lessons on sorting materials correctly, making recycling fun and educational.
James Cropper supplied the storybook’s paper through its CupCycling process. Each copy is made from approximately 15 recycled coffee cups.
The CupCycling technology is capable of recycling PE-lined post-consumer coffee cups at scale. It rescues 95% of paper fibres for use in bespoke papers, while 5% of the plastic lining is used for energy recovery.
Jordan Scott, head of marketing at James Cropper, said, “We’re proud to support Biffa on this project by supplying CupCycling paper. Whitney the Wasteater and the Wrong Bite brings recycling to life in a playful, tangible way. Children can see, touch, and hold proof that everyday materials, like a simple coffee cup, can become something beautiful when we sort and recycle correctly. It’s a story that connects imagination with real-world sustainability.”
The Wasteaters programme, created by Biffa in 2016 and relaunched last summer, uses colourful monster characters to make recycling fun and visible. The storybook will be incorporated into around 1,000 school visits per year and community engagement activities, with all proceeds donated to WasteAid.
Georgia Gibson, Biffa’s social value manager in Manchester, added, “Breathing life into one of our Wasteater characters in a children’s book is a wonderful way to spark curiosity about recycling from an early age. By using rhyme and imagination, we’re helping youngsters see how their choices matter, and how small everyday actions can make a big difference to the environment.”
Author Yasmine Anane said, “Whitney is kind, funny and very picky, which makes her the perfect character to help children understand recycling. The story shows that when we all get it right together, everyone benefits.”
Whitney the Wasteater and the Wrong Bite is available via wasteaters.giftfindershop.co.uk
